The Abyss Within
by Swmystery
Summary: What do you do when your world falls apart? When even your subconscious starts to hate you, and drags you into your own personal hell? What then? Where you can't breathe, can't be heard, can't even cry, because it's all in your own mind?
1. Prologue

It was past midnight. Lightning flashed overhead, as rain fell heavily from the skies and thunder boomed, as if the gods fought high above the mortal plane. People cowered in their homes like rats, fearful to set foot out the door. For something was wrong this night. Everybody could sense it, but they put on fake smiles and tried to pass it off as nothing. However, there was one person who did not fear the storm's wrath. He had things to worry about. More important things.

A distraught cry escaped from the boy kneeling in the street. The wind blew cold around him, but he didn't feel it. He didn't feel much of anything anymore. He raised his head to look at the night sky, only to see a blanket of darkness. He let the rain run down his face, so it could hide his tears. Not that there was anyone to see them, of course. There never was. He gazed blankly upwards, the same thoughts running through his mind again and again. His eyes were wild in their sockets, as he whispered breathlessly to himself.

"Are you watching this, Taylor? Or are you afraid? Worry not, my love…I shall find you. I swear it. Because… I can't live without you. Your face…your beautiful voice. Please…. come back to me, my love. I need you…I…". His body racked with sobs. He slid to his knees, crying silently. His hands clawed at the earth as he raged at the sky.

"I just want to see her again…. but you can't allow that, can you? What has she done to deserve this…. what have I done? Answer me…. ANSWER ME!!!!!"

The skies, of course, did not respond. But something else did.

"Leon…."

"Who's there?"

He looked around. Not even a cat was around; the street was silent as the grave. The rain was still falling, but he couldn't hear it.

_Did I imagine it? _He wondered to himself, and then shook his head.

_Great, now I'm hearing things…_

"Not quite, Leon."

His eyes went wide. He jumped to his feet and looked around again, searching frantically for the owner of the voice. But the street was still empty, the only sounds being the tap-tap of the raindrops, and the roar of thunder overhead. Leon

"Poor, poor little boy. All alone in the storm, feeling sorry for yourself. Trying to be the shiny white knight, when you're actually just a misguided, conflicted weakling. But don't worry. I can change that. Do you understand? _I can help you save her!"_

_I seriously doubt that, _Leon thought.

"Leon, I'm hurt. Why don't you learn to trust somebody for once in your life?"

_Are you reading my mind?! _

The voice was sarcastic now. "Ding-ding! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner!"

_How do you know so much about me?_

"Now, now. A good magician never reveals his secrets".

_What's that supposed to mean?_

"So many questions. Do you want my help, or not?"

_What would I have to do?_

"Hmph. So now you're interested?"

_Please…just tell me._

"You need to let go of everything. Your guilt, your pain, everything. It isn't your fault that she's the way she is. Hear me? _It is not your fault."_

_Ok, so it's not my fault. That still doesn't…doesn't tell me how I can help her. I've already tried everything! No one wants to help…they don't want to talk about what happened. I shouldn't need anyone's help…but I do. I'm weak…I can't do anything to help the ones I love. What can anyone do to change that?_

"You're right. Nobody can change that fact. Nobody except you, that is. And you _can_ change it. You just need to let me out."

_What are you talking about?_

"You'll see, soon enough. The power you desire shall be yours, if you're willing to take it. The power to protect your friends...and her. Are you willing, Leon?"

He did not need to think about it. The answer came immediately.

_Yes…_

"Ha…hahahahahaha!!!!!!"

Lightning blasted through the sky overhead, setting one of the nearby trees on fire. The storm had stopped completely, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Leon stood up, illuminating himself in the flames. If anyone had been there to see him, they would have been terrified. It wasn't anything obvious: his appearance hadn't changed. But his eyes had. The fear and doubt was completely gone from them. His eyes showed no pain, no suffering. They were completely cold. He turned away from the smouldering fire, and walked into the darkness. As he did, a thought passed through his mind:

_Who are you?_

The answer he received would stay with him forever:

"I'm you…"


	2. Chapter I

"I'll place two cards facedown, and one monster in defence position. Your move Leon."

It was a summer evening. The sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. The wind blew softly, cooling off the people who were going about their daily business. In a small park, two teenagers were facing off in a game of Duel Monsters. One was a tall, thin, dark-haired boy, the other a girl of medium height with glasses and red hair. The scores stood at 700/500 in the boy's favour. He surveyed the field keenly, while looking over the cards in his hand. He looked up and chuckled at the girl.

"Interesting. Let's see how this plays out."

He drew. He considered his options, before placing a card facedown. He hesitated for a moment, before choosing to go on the offensive.

"I summon Chiron the Mage (1800/1000), in attack position! And then, I play Heavy Storm! So say goodbye to your facedown cards, Taylor!"

_It'll never work._

She smiled, and passed a hand over her duel disk. "You fell for it! My Dark Coffins are destroyed, so you lose two cards!"

"What, again? Geez…."

I told you so… 

"In any case, I've destroyed my Statue of the Wicked! Meaning I get a Wicked Token!"

Two Aztec coffins appear and exploded, forcing Leon to discard two cards from his hand as a golden centipede-like creature appeared on his field. He frowned, concerned, but decides to continue his plan.

"Chiron the Mage, attack her facedown monster, now!"

The centaur galloped towards Taylor's monster. Just as it's weapon rammed home, a column of white light blocked it. Leon shielded his eyes. When the glow faded, Leon saw an odd monster on Taylor's side of the field. It seemed to be a crystal of sorts, but it was coloured pure white. His Life Points dropped to 500. Taylor swept a hand through her hair and giggled softly.

"Like my newest monster?"

Leon smiled, despite himself. "I'll reserve judgement on that for now."

Taylor waved a hand dismissively. "You're far too serious, you know that? You should learn to lighten up once in a while. You know, make a joke for once? It'd do you some good".

_Ooh, this girl's got spunk. I understand what you see in her now._

"Shut it!" Leon muttered angrily to himself. An odd expression swept across his face for a moment. Taylor looked a little concerned.

"Something wrong, Leon?"

_Ah…strong as well as beautiful. Quite the rare exotic. I hope she was worth it for you._

"I said shut it! I haven't got time for this now…" Leon whispered fiercely. Taylor scratched her head.

"You sure you're ok? You look a little stressed out."

_Stressed out? That's one way to put it. You're shaking like a leaf!_

Leon ignored him. He put on a shaky smile. "Nah, I'm fine. What does your monster do?"

Taylor smiled mischievously. "I thought you'd ask that. It's called Alchemic Stone- Bravery (0/2000). When it's flipped face-up I can roll a die, and draw cards from my deck equal to the number I roll. But if I roll a number higher than three, my monster is destroyed immediately."

_Bravery, eh…how appropriate. How unlike you. _

"So it's luck-based?"

"Yep!"

"Go ahead and roll, then."

Taylor flicked the die. It rolled across the grass, landing between them on a 4. The Alchemic Stone shattered as she drew four cards. She gazed upon them thoughtfully. Leon scratched his chin, assessing the situation.

"I'll finish up by playing one card facedown, just in case…"

_In case what? You aren't going to win, so why are you bothering to try?_

Leon shook his head fiercely. "Your move, Taylor".

She drew a card. As she looked at it, the skies began to grow dark above her. A vicious wind blew up from nowhere. Leon struggled to hold onto his cards as a bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens, striking the playing field between them. A pentagram began to form behind her, shimmering into existence softly. It shook violently, and started to break apart, as if something strained against the binding. Leon looked on in awe, as a massive, dark golden figure appeared behind the binding. Lightning surged towards it, as it absorbed all the power into itself. Gathering its strength, the figure threw itself against the binding. The pentagram shivered, one more hit and it would surely break. It was only then Leon noticed that Taylor didn't look concerned. She wore a smile on her face. A smile of victory. And that smile chilled Leon to the bone, as he realized what he faced.

"Taylor! What have you done!?"

"You played well, Leon. You always do. But even you can't win this one. For now, I call upon the Forbidden One!!!"

_Now you're buggered. I'm going to enjoy watching this…_

The figure heaved at the pentagram again. It shattered into a thousand pieces, as Exodia snapped its chains effortlessly and bellowed at Leon. It began its attack, gathering golden energy into itself. It grinned madly at him, the Egyptian head bearing an expression of malevolence and madness. It stood up to its full height, and screamed violently. Leon put his hands over his ears and sank to his knees, as the monster unleashed its attack, blasting a storm of golden energy straight at him.

"Exodia, end this now! Obliterate!"


	3. Chapter II

"Exodia, end this now! Obliterate!"

Thunder roared through the air as Exodia seemed to swell to its full height. Lighting crackled dangerously around the duelling field, attracted to the beast like moths to a flame. Exodia leered at Leon, confident in its power and majesty. It drew back its arm, preparing to fell him and his monsters in a single strike. It seemed to grin wickedly at him, as it gathered all the lightning into a massive strike. It glowed, brighter and brighter, until Leon had to shield his eyes.

_Game's over, Leon. Can't say that I'm surprised, to be honest. That Taylor's got it all- the looks, the brains, and duelling skills to boot. It's almost a shame…_

Taylor stood behind her creature. She wore a confident smile on her face. She was illuminated in the light from Exodia, giving her an almost angelic appearance. A beautiful appearance. Leon felt an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, seeing her this way. He tried to quash it, but it persisted.

_You're thinking about THAT?! When you're about to be annihilated? Typical…_

Leon shook his head fiercely. Taylor, mistaking the look for despair, chuckled at him.

"This game's mine Leon. Better luck next time."

Leon staggered to his feet. Exodia prepared to charge at him, to blast away his world in a pillar of golden light. It drew back its massive fist, and charged at him.

But right before it collided with him, it stopped. Exodia stiffened and then froze, scant centimetres from Leon's monsters.

"Heh…heh. Are you so sure about that?"

Exodia suddenly screamed in pain, and lurched backward. Thick, black smoke began to coarse from its body, as if something was burning the Forbidden One from the inside. It doubled over, letting out a primal scream of agony as it doubled over and clutched its chest. The smoke grew thicker, obscuring and dulling the bright, golden form of the colossus. It began to coil around Exodia's right arm, congealing around it like a binding. Then, it suddenly became corporeal, the smoke slashing through the beasts shoulder like a knife through butter. It let out a piercing, inhuman cry, and Leon covered his ears as it grabbed for the falling limb. It missed, and the limb shook the earth as it crashed to the ground. Exodia started to thrash around violently, narrowly avoiding the two duelists as it rampaged. Then, it let out a final bellow, and exploded violently, the shockwave almost blasting them both off their feet.

Taylor looked stunned. "How…you destroyed Exodia! How…how could you…"

Leon smiled slightly, and pointed to his facedown card, which he had opened at the last second.

"Drop Off. It sends the last card you picked up to the Graveyard. In this case, that's the final Exodia piece- Right Arm of the Forbidden One!"

Her mouth fell open in surprise, and she pouted. "That's low, Leon."

He chuckled. "Whatever you say. Now, if you don't mind…"

He drew a card.

"…I'd like to end this."

_You lucky…and I was so looking forward to watching you get crushed. You may win this game, but it doesn't mean anything. But then, you already knew that, didn't you?_

She shook her head. "I'll put this facedown first. Now go ahead, if you think you can, of course."

"You know I don't lie. You should have learned to trust me by now."

"I thought you were going to end this?"

"Touché. As you wish- I play Giant Trunade!"

A typhoon blew up, forcing Taylor to shield her eyes. It whirled towards her, shaking the trees roughly. When it reached her facedown card, it became caught in the vortex, and was sucked in. Seconds later, the card was spat back out, landing amid her hand. She looked angry, but there was nothing she could do.

"And now, Chiron! Attack her directly!"

On command, the centaur leapt towards Taylor, bringing the full brunt of his weapon to bear. His staff struck her across the face with a crack that made Leon wince. She fell to one knee. Her Life Points quickly dropped to 0, and the holograms vanished. Leon walked over to her and offered his hand to help her up. She took it, and sighed dejectedly.

"I lose again. Wonderful. How many is that now?"

"Three games in a row. But it's not your fault- your deck is really good. If I hadn't have had Drop Off down…"

_Ah, but you did. _

"That's not much comfort, Leon."

"Sorry. But it's only a game, at the end of the day."

_Empty words. And what's worse, she knows it._

The words rang with truth: Leon could see the disbelief in her eyes. She shrugged lightly.

"Whatever you say."

"Come on, let's go home. I'm getting hungry!"

She laughed. "Didn't you eat before we played?"

"Yeah…but a good duel helps me work up an appetite!"

"You never change…"

They left the park, and headed for home. The streets were unusually quiet- only the singing of birds punctuated the silence. Taylor tried to make small talk, but Leon only replied listlessly. Something was distracting him, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was.

_You won that game by pure luck. Exodia would have mauled you if you didn't have Drop Off down. Can't you ever win a game with some actual merit for once?_

"I'm not listening…" Leon muttered quietly. Taylor gave him a cool glance.

"No need to be so blunt about it. If you want me to shut up, then just say so!"

Too late, Leon realized how that must have sounded to her. "No, I…I was just talking to myself there."

She raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. Let's hurry up, it's getting dark soon. I don't want to get jumped by anybody shady tonight."

"Heaven forbid that that might happen."

_Always making jokes. Trying to cover up your anxieties, your hopes, everything. You've locked it all away, 'cause you're too scared to feel anything- or to even admit the things you truly want._

A thought leapt to the surface of Leon's mind, uncalled for.

_And what might those be?_

_Come on, Leon. You know that better than anybody, now don't you? You're just too afraid to admit it. But what you truly want- what you do, truly desire- you can't hide it from me: You want Taylor. Deny it all you want, because I can still read you like a book. You want to hold her in your arms, feel her body against yours, and her lips pressed against your mouth…_

_I…I…_

_Problem is, you're too weak to take it. You're caught in a right predicament; you wouldn't risk her friendship for the world, and yet you want her love. And it's pulling you apart. I think you'll break soon, and end up an emotional wreck. Just like before…_

"For God's sake, SHUT UP!!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Taylor gazed at him, looking shocked and hurt. She spoke, trying to hold back tears.

"What's wrong with you? I can understand you getting distracted, but there's no need to be angry. What's going on, Leon? Is there something wrong?"

"It's nothing. I…I'm fine. Really, I am."

"Like hell you are! Ever since I got back you've been more distant each day. I want to help…but I can't do that if you won't tell me what's wrong! But then…you don't tell anyone what's wrong, do you?"

_Astute little tart, isn't she?_

She reached for him, but he pulled away from her hand.

"You wouldn't understand. And don't…don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "Leon…"

He turned and walked away, oblivious to the silence that had suddenly pervaded the streets.

_Later that night…_

Leon was sitting down in his living room, trying to shake off the events of the day. He clasped his hands tightly round his cup of coffee, trying to stop his hands from trembling. The warmth from it did little to alleviate the chill he felt in his bones. It shot through him again without warning, causing him to shudder. He bent over the table in front of him again.

Spread out on it was his deck, laid out neatly in five rows of eight. He mulled over it, replacing a card here and there. After about ten minutes of this, he put the cards away, and went to take a shower. He turned the water temperature far higher than normal, so the heat could scald some feeling back into him. Under the ferocity of the piping-hot water, he started to get his thoughts in order. Then, without warning:

_I've got a question for you, Leon._

_Now? I'm in the shower, for god's sake._

_Now is as good a time as any. Here is my question. It should seem familiar to you, since you wrestle with it every night. Do you want to be healed?_

_Why is it important, and why the hell does it interest you?_

_Now now. No need for the curses. Do you?_

_Why should I answer you? Why should I tell you anything?_

_Because you desire to know the answer as much as I do._

_What are you talking about?_

But the voice had fallen silent. Puzzled, but grateful for the reprieve, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. After he dried himself off, he began sorting through his cards again. Unfortunately for Leon, the sojourn from the voice was to brief.

_Got an answer for me?_

_No, I bloody well don't have an answer for you. Now I have a question for YOU- how can I be rid of you?_

_Funny you should ask that. Take a look in the mirror._

He looked. His reflection looked normal, for a moment. Then it moved, narrowing its eyes at him. Leon froze. It clapped its hands together in a parody of applause, and then bowed like a magician onstage. As he did, a hole appeared in the room. It was completely opaque, filled with a deep darkness. He couldn't see into it at all. The reflection turned and walked through the hole, disappearing immediately. Leon shook his head in disbelief and turned around. To his shock, the hole had now appeared in the room. A faint sound could be heard in the air. It was a voice…his own voice. It was whispering the same message over and over, barely audible to the ears.

"_If you seek to be rid of me… you must pass the trials… if you are truly willing to try… then step into the dark…"_

Leon quickly gathered his cards together, and faced the hole. He didn't agonize over the decision- that time was past. After all that had happened, he was eager to settle things with his would-be tormentor, once and for all. He closed his eyes, and stepped forward decisively.

What happened next, he would never be sure of, except for one thing- it was nothing like he expected. One minute he was standing on a floor, the next he was standing on nothing at all.

"AHHHH!!!!!"

He fell downwards, into a bottomless pit of shadows. Before everything went black, he heard two things- his own voice laughing cruelly, and a whispered message:

_And so, it begins…_


	4. Chapter III

Leon fell, down into the dark. Closing his eyes made no difference- below, above, and to the sides of him stretched blackness for as far as the eyes could see. A freezing wind blew upwards, nipping at his face like a sheet of needles. Vague, half-focused images flashed past, too quickly for him to comprehend. A voice was laughing manically, cackling in his ears like some psychotic killer. It began to whisper malevolently to him, the words reeking with cruelty and sadism.

_You fool…you're in my world now. Or rather, you're in your own little world. Sorry to disappoint you, but this world will be no paradise. It's going to be your HELL!_

The laughter fell silent. Leon began to fall more slowly, as if the force that was pulling him downward. The icy wind also began to lessen, giving his face some needed relief. He continued to fall, slower and slower, until he was barely dropping at all. Suddenly, his feet hit something hard, and he was standing. His world was black- the darkness had not dissipated at all. He checked his deck had survived the fall intact, and gingerly took a few steps forward.

_Ladies and Gentlemen, our show is about to begin. But before our performance dazzles and delights you all, it's time to meet the protagonists!_

A spotlight flashed up- a piercing beam of white light directed straight at him, so dazzlingly bright that he was forced to shield his eyes. He couldn't see the source, couldn't even look towards it. It illuminated him alone, casting no light on the inky blackness that encircled him. The sound of hearty applause suddenly surrounded him, resounding from all sides.

_Here friends, stands Leon, hero of our times._

A longsword appeared in his hand, engraved with gold, and the hilt in the shape of a dragon's head.

_Leon the Bold. Leon the Fool. Leon the Liberator. Lord Leon. Sir-_

"Enough!"

_Now now. Our audience wants a good show- and for that, they need a good lead. I take it you are up for the task?_

"O cursed sprite, that I was ever born to set things right." He remarked sarcastically, tossing the sword away. It tumbled to the floor and vanished. The sound of cheering could be heard from the dark.

_Not bad. You seem to be popular with the crowd- off to a good start, despite lacking a certain… __je nai se qua_.

"Hey!"

_Now we've met our lead, friends. But what's a hero without a villain?_

"I take it that role would be reserved for you?"

It laughed mirthlessly.

_Who better? _

"Why not just come out and face me now?!"

_Patience. A good performance always saves the best for the grand finale! If I faced you now, what of the drama? The tension? Why, our little show would be over in a heartbeat, and I so do not wish to disappoint our honoured guests._

"Hmph. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

_Indeed not. There's some more people to meet- some friends, some foes. Some dead and some alive- some long gone, and some others that'll survive. But before all that, there's someone else to introduce. Friends, we've met the champion of our piece. Next, I'll tell you of his nemesis, his arch-rival, his greatest foe, his clear better in every way…Me!_

"Get on with it…"

_This place is my bastion, and I'm the lord of all I survey. It's an age-old battle between good and evil- he's the shiny, white knight, trying to oust me from my tyranny and restore justice to the land. The twist? My realm- is Leon's own mind!_

"WHAT?!"

It chuckled softly.

_Seems as though someone didn't read the script. So very unprofessional of you- it's shocking! Our plot may be a classic, but I promise you friends, that this will be no cliché ending. You will have the pleasure of witnessing my triumph, and my rise to greatness!_

The unseen "audience", began to applaud again, growing louder and louder, until it echoed sinisterly around him. It continued for a time, then died away. Without warning, the spotlight shut off, leaving him in total darkness again. He rubbed his eyes, glad of the relief from the glare.

"You always did love the theatrics."

_Touché. As they say- blood will have blood! Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!_

"You truly disturb me sometimes…"

_As I said, I'm the villain. It's my job to keep you guessing. Alas, we are out of time. The first act is about to start, and there's not much more I can tell you._

"Why are you telling me anything?"

_Why indeed. An audience does not like an unfair battle- it wouldn't be any fun if I crushed you right away. In the interests of putting as great a show as possible, I want to even things up a bit. I'll leave you with one last tip- not all the doors are friendly._

"Doors? What are you talking about?"

The voice sighed, as if it was trying to explain something to a clueless child.

_Doors like the one behind you._

Leon spun round. A door had appeared behind him, sure enough. It was carved from dark grey stone, and seemed to wait ominously for him. He stepped over to it, and ran his hands over it slowly. The stones seemed to radiate an unnatural, icy cold, and they appeared rather rough and jagged. His palm caught on a particularly sharp edge, causing blood to flower immediately. He swore and tried to wipe it away on his jacket. Some of it had split, darkening the door even further. He pushed on it gently, and it swung open with surprisingly little resistance.

_Once you go through that door, the show must go on. Sure you're up for it?_

"What kind of question is that?"

_Heh. I'll see you when it's time for the climax. Now, let the curtain rise, and the games begin!_

"Break a leg." He muttered as he stepped through the door. It slammed shut behind him, and vanished. Images began to flicker and swirl nauseatingly around him, fading in and out of existence before he could catch more then a glimpse of them.

Him, sitting by an open grave. Him, walking away from a burning building. Him, licking blood from his fingertips. Him, with a vicious smile on his face, torturing a teenager with lavender hair. Him, strangling the life out of someone. More images, each more horrifying then the last, flashing past faster and faster each time, until he was too sickened to watch and looked away. But that didn't stop it- they continued to appear before him, little portraits of brutality, brutality that _he _was orchestrating. He closed his eyes, _willing_ the horror to go away.

"No…no….please…no more."

"Sir? Are you alright?"

…_What?_

He opened his eyes. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, at a large oak desk. He was in an office, quite medium-sized, but large enough to be comfortable. The room was dark; the only illumination came from a table lamp. A young woman stood in the doorway, dressed formally in a black uniform. She was watching him curiously.

_Where the hell am I? What's going on?_

The woman stepped into the room. She hid it well, but Leon could see she was uncomfortable about something.

"I…I'm alright, thank you. Just a little tired."

The sound of his voice shocked him. It was deeper than normal- he sounded _older_.

She smiled. "Aidan's on the phone for you, sir. Something about an Ancient Gear Gigas?"

_Ancient Gear Gigas? That sounds like somebody's card creation. I'd better play along, until I can figure out what's going on here._

He formed a shaky smile. "Oh yes, Aidan. I'll speak to him now. Is there…anything else?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. Is there anything else you require?"

"No, thank you."

"As you wish, sir."

She turned and left. As she did, Leon noticed that she had the letters "I.I." stamped on her uniform sleeve.

He stepped over to a nearby mirror took the time to study himself. He was dressed in a black formal suit- the kind you'd see any kind of businessman wear on a workday. He'd grown about a foot, making him look slightly intimidating. He looked at his face and let out a gasp.

His reflection was off- the Leon looking back at him appeared about ten years older then he was. He'd been talking to Taylor this morning aged sixteen, but the boy…no; the _man _in the mirror was at least twenty-five. His heart began to beat faster, and his hands started to shake. He clenched them until the knuckles went white.

_This can't be real…it can't be. This is a dream- it HAS to be! Where else could I walk through some door and end up ten years in the future?_

_Oh, dear…he's not very bright, is he?_

Leon could hear the faint sound of laughter in his head, muffled but still all too audible.

_Bite me._

_Tsk, tsk. Such foul and abusive language is unfitting for a hero._

_Do I look like I care?_

_Nope. Thing is, you probably should._

A phone began beeping on his desk. He picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Heya Leon, it's me. Listen, about that card of mine…could you put in a good word with Pegasus about it? I think it'd really be a good boost to Ancient Gear decks everywhere!"

_Pegasus? As in Maximillion Pegasus, creator of Duel Monsters? What IS this?_

_A fantasy, of course. And a rather interesting one, to say the least._

_What?_

"Leon? You paying attention, buddy?"

"Uh, sorry. Ancient Gear Gigas? It would help if I knew what it does."

"I sent you a prototype of the card last week. Don't tell me you didn't read it?"

"Er…no. I'm really sorry, I've been busy lately."

"It's ok. Pull it up on the I-base and see what you think"

"I-Base?"

"What's wrong with you today? Just turn on your computer and its there!"

He looked around. A laptop computer was lying on the desk, next to several sketches and some paperwork. He flipped the lid, and the symbol on the girl's jacket appeared as a background. A box appeared, with a section to enter a password.

"What's the number?"

"77829546"

He entered it. A screen flashed up, showing the card's name, statistics, and effect text, in addition to the name of its creator. Leon's eyes widened as he read the card.

"This is…a great card. However, it won't ever be printed the way it is."

"Why not?"

"Simple. Ancient Gear monsters run off the principle of not being able to be Special Summoned. Your card breaks that rule."

"What should I do?"

"Hmm. Ancient Gear support cards work mainly around providing alternate Normal Summons. Alter your monster to accommodate that, and it'll be fine."

"Good idea. I'll make a few changes. Mind having a look at some of my other cards later? I need some inspiration"

"Yes, yes, of course."

"Oh, and how's Anne shaping up? She doing ok?"

"Anne?"

"Er…my little sister? Your new secretary? You really aren't with it today, are you?"

_That's an understatement…_

"That bad, huh? What's the problem?"

"Did I say that out loud? Ugh…forget I said anything. I just need some tea, I think."

"I thought you hated tea?"

"Shut up…"

"Oh, well _excuse me_ for not knowing your drinking habits" Aidan replied sarcastically.

"…Sorry. I've just been dealing with a lot of stuff recently. I'm not really in the most amiable of moods today."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I'll probably explode the next time somebody speaks to me."

"I see…" he said knowingly." Go home and get some rest- you spend too long here. There's a whole world out there- sometimes I think you forget that."

"Thanks. I might just do that."

"Ok. Say hi to Taylor for me, would ya?"

_How does he know about-?_

"Hey, hang on a-"

The line had gone dead. Leon slammed the lid on the laptop shut, causing it to squeal angrily. He put his head in his hands.

_This is a fantasy…but which one? And where the hell am I?_

_Try looking out the window._

He turned around in his chair. The windows gave a view of a city covered in glass and steel. Skyscrapers rose up to his eye level, while cars crammed onto the streets. In the distance, he could see a waterfall, gushing over the cliff softly. Streetlights illuminated it, blanketing the city, turning it into a world of the brightest lights and the darkest shadows.

_That waterfall…_

_Two and two, Leon. Figured out where we are yet?_

_We?_

_Freudian slip, mate. _

_This is Industrial Illusions…it has to be. No other place has this view. But why did you bring me here?_

_The question you should be asking is- why did _you_ bring you here?_

_What's that supposed to mean?_

_Ask yourself that question._

_Stop speaking in riddles!_

_I'm the villain, remember? It's in the job description, right under "devilishly handsome."_

_Why don't you go shuffle off this mortal coil, Shakespeare?_

_So bloody unrefined, no appreciation for the finer things in life. We're in your mind, remember? This is your fantasy. A world where you have everything you desire. But it's not exactly Paradise, is it? You couldn't even do this right. You tried to create a heaven for yourself, and you ended up building purgatory. Congratulations._

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!!!" he roared, so loud he thought the glass would break.

_Hehehehe. You're far, far too easy to push._

"Sir, what's wrong?"

Leon turned around. The woman from before was back- she'd obviously heard his shouting from the lobby.

"Anne?"

"Sir?"

"I'm…I'm fine, thanks. Just dealing with some things right now."

She raised an eyebrow. Clearly, she didn't completely buy his story. He gave her a cool look.

"Is there something else?"

She returned the look. "Why, yes, sir. Your wife is outside, looking for you. Apparently you're running late."

Leon's face had formed into a knowing smile, but his head was spinning.

_So now I'm married too? Did you do this just to torture me?_

_Good guess, but nah. You did it to torture you._

_I…I did this? How? Why?_

_I don't really know. Your mind is a strange place. But I'm guessing its because your subconscious is trying to get you to accept something._

_And what's that?_

_Perhaps you need to be reminded of what you will never have._

_What I will never have…_

"Sir?"

"Um…yes. Tell her I'll be out in a moment."

"Very well, sir."

She left. His hands began to shake again.

_Well? Waiting for someone to bid you adieu?_

He stood up and walked to the office door. He hesitated for a moment, gripping the door handle. A bead of sweat started rolling down his brow. He wrenched the door open.

A woman was standing in the lobby, looking out at the city. She was wearing a scarlet dress. It matched the colour of her hair, which was down around her shoulders. She stretched and turned around.

_It's her…_

_Who did you expect?_

She'd lost the glasses, and she wore her hair differently. Like him, she'd aged, probably about six or seven years from what Leon could see. She was wearing lipstick, colouring her lips to match her outfit. Her face had lost some of its paleness, which surprised him. Her eyelashes were long- she was using mascara. Despite all the changes, it was obvious who it was. There was no mistaking those eyes. Those one blue, one green eyes.

Taylor was smiling at him.

Leon stepped towards her, and she embraced him. She put her head on his shoulder playfully, and whispered in his ear.

"Let me guess- you had something you needed to finish?"

Leon didn't reply. He just stood there, holding her in his arms. Holding the woman he loved. It was a wonderful feeling. But even here, in the fulfilment of his deepest desire, he could not be content.

_Isn't this what you wanted?_

_It is…more then anything in the world. But it's not real. It's just a fantasy. This will never come true._

_Perhaps. But you should enjoy this while it lasts, Leon. Because it never lasts long enough._

"Leon? Are you ok?"

He focused on her again. He smiled, despite the hollow feeling he held inside him.

"I'm fine. I just want you to know…I love you. And I always will."

She gazed deeply into his eyes. She spoke seriously.

"I know. And I won't forget what you've done for me. I love you too, Leon. Don't ever forget that."

She leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his. Leon closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. Time seemed to halt, freezing the two of them in a moment of emotion.

_Just a fantasy? Somehow I doubt that. This is the rose in my garden of thorns. Enjoy this moment, Leon. You're going to need it…_


	5. Chapter IV

Leon's fantasy was complete. He and Taylor were in an embrace like nothing he'd ever felt before. They stood, unashamed, bodies pushed lightly together. Their lips were touching, giving him a unique feeling of euphoria. He could feel the strength of their bond dancing around the room, invisible but unmistakable. He sought sanctuary in her arms, desperate for the security it brought him.

The office of Industrial Illusions faded away. Darkness spread in all directions, blanketing out the former landscape. It was completely silent. But there was no threat to them, no danger. They didn't move, each absorbed completely in the moment as they explored each other gently and softly. They moved apart after what seemed like a lifetime. They stood there, safe. Secure in the darkness.

A comet appeared overhead, burning silently through the sky. Leon followed its course with his eyes. Wherever it passed, stars began to twinkle, a palette of colours across the darkness.

A shooting star… 

_Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean- a pair of star-crossed lovers doth take their life…_

Piano music began to play, off in the distance. A slow, romantic melody began to ring softly through the air. A spotlight appeared, shining on him. It was similar to the experience when he first arrived, but shone far less painfully. Taylor smiled and stepped closer. She took his arm, placing it around her waist. She took his other hand in hers, and stared gently into his eyes. He looked back, allowing himself the surreal pleasure of gazing into her eyes. One eye a vivid, electric blue, the other a pale sea green. They were deep pools of colour, endless. It was an arousing sight.

Then, they began to dance.

The spotlight followed them as they moved, stepping softly around their unique ballroom. They moved slowly, delighting in the ecstasy they brought to each other. Ordinarily, Leon wouldn't have been able to dance to save his life. But here, his senses seemed to have been heightened, and he moves with an almost unnatural gracefulness. He caressed her body, stroking her soft flesh. The music continued, adding to the soothing atmosphere of the scene. How long it continued, he didn't know. Time had stopped completely.

"So," Taylor said, while they danced. "What's the occasion?"

She twirled in his arms, bringing herself back to him flawlessly.

"Occasion?"

"You came in here- you came to see me. Why now?"

Leon paused before responding, letting himself sink deeper into the dance.

"I wanted to settle things…with him. So I could live normally again."

Taylor looked into his eyes, studying him closely.

"But is that what you want? To be normal? To get married, have kids, live like everyone else in the world?"

"I…no." Leon confessed. "That isn't what I want."

"Then what do you want, Leon?" She said cajolingly . "Tell me. I want to know everything. Your hopes, your dreams, your fears…everything."

"My love…you know what I want the most. You've always known."

She arched her body against his, letting herself fall into his arms. She leaned her face very close to his. Her hair fell against him as she whispered softly.

"Yes…I know. But do you know, Leon? And if you were to get it, would you still know?"

"Taylor…"

"Leon…when it happens…will you save me?" she whispered.

Before he could respond, she kissed him deeply. She bit down hard on his lip, spraying salty blood into his mouth. She broke free, shoving him back and turning away sharply. Leon licked the bite, trying to stop the blood pouring from it. He moved around to see her face.

Taylor was ageing rapidly before his eyes. Years were passing like seconds, stealing her beauty from her face. Wrinkles appeared and thickened, hiding the colour from her eyes. Her hair went from scarlet to grey in a heartbeat, and then began to fall out.

He drew back, horrified, as she changed. She doubled over, the gown falling from her shoulders as she coughed violently. Her skin began to rot and decay, peeling straight from her body. She cried out in pain. Blood began pouring from a wound in her chest, seeping through her hands. Within moments, she was a rotting, vile, corpse. Maggots ate at her flesh, as the worms crawled through her sightless eyes. Dun-white skin barely covered her bones, as the stench of death began to rise from her.

"Will you save me?"

The music stopped. The corpse collapsed, becoming nothing more than a pile of dust and cloth. Tears stung Leon's eyes as he knelt by the remains.

_It was just a fantasy, Leon. But I trust you enjoyed your moment of bliss?_

"Just a fantasy…" he whispered, the tears beginning to fall.

You know its true. Taylor has never felt anything like this towards you. And she is not the kind of person to let you hold her like a doll.

"Go to hell…"

_I'm already there. And I didn't do anything. This is all coming from your mind- I'm just narrating it for you. My accommodation aside, the first act is over. The audience were quite impressed. Can't you hear the applause?_

Sure enough, applause began to sound, echoing off invisible walls and building to a crescendo. The spotlight vanished.

"I don't give a damn about your show! Get out of the shadows and face me, NOW!"

_Patience, my bloodthirsty friend. You and I shall face off soon enough, but there's still more to this show before we reach the grand finale. Friends, the next act is about to begin, and if you think our previous offering was good, just wait and see what's next._

"I'm dying to know." Leon remarked, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

_Well, that depends where your deranged subconscious wants to go. Oh look, I think it's made up its mind._

Leon turned around. A stone door had appeared behind him.

"Here we go again…"

It was bound fast with thick, iron chains. There was no handle, and no padlock . There seemed to be no entry point. He tried to touch the door, but an invisible barrier blocked him.

"Why won't it let me in?"

_Whatever is behind that door, you have worked very hard to repress- to keep barred from your mind and memory. The only way inside is to let loose the chains. Your mind sees fit that you should confront whatever is in there- who are we to disobey?_

"By "we" you obviously mean me."

The voice went silent. Leon sighed and concentrated on the door. Slowly but surely, the chains began to unravel and drop to the floor. He moved them painstakingly, clearing each one at a time. Finally, the last one collapsed, and the doors swung open. He stepped through. The doors slammed shut and vanished, leaving him in total darkness. He closed his eyes, remembering all too well the brutality he'd been forced to witness the last time he stepped through one of these doors.

Nothing happened. He creaked open an eye.

He was standing in a clearing. The grass underfoot was dry and coarse. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows. The trees were beginning to shed their leaves, turning yellow and brown as they fell. Leon was no longer dressed in a businessman's outfit- he felt like himself again.

At the centre of the clearing was a gravestone. He approached it, brushing off the dirt that had caked it. Upon seeing the name, his arm fell to his side.

"No…not this."

The grave's message read:

Anne Cihnos

1971-2001

May your spirit soar free.

_Who is it?_

_It's my…my mother._

_She died?_

_She was shot. Some thug…we never found out who did it. Afterwards, my father and I severed ties. I took my mum's last name, and ended up living with her father- my grandfather._

_Why did you repress this?_

_Because…I…_

_Look out- you have company._

He turned. Two people were standing at the entrance to the clearing. Leon's stomach started to sink.

You know them? 

All too well.

The people were both male. One was an man, roughly in his forties or fifties. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers- violets. His face was twisted with pain. He looked directly at Leon, but he seemed not to see him.

A boy was with him, about twelve or thirteen years. His hair was jet black, and his skin was very pale. He seemed to be more cheerful then his companion. Looking closer, though, it was obvious that he was putting on an act. His eyes were red, and he looked as if he was trying to hold back tears. Unlike his companion, the boy could obviously see Leon. He frowned for a moment, as if trying to place him. His eyes went wide.

Who are they? 

_That kid…it's me. That's the age I was when she died._

I do see the resemblance…so the man is your father? 

_Was._

"Dad…it's him! I'm sure of it! He's the one!"

The man's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"

"Perfectly! It's him, Dad! What should we do?"

Leon decided to interject.

"You would be Mr. Alceme, I presume?"

_Alceme?_

_My dad's last name. My mum never took it._

The man nodded.

"What are you doing here?" he said coldly.

"I have come to pay my respects to the dead."

"To pay respect to those you have slaughtered?"

_Ah, so that's why. Didn't think you had that in you._

_That's because I don't._

"What are you talking about?"

"Murderer!"

The boy ran at him and hit him hard in the stomach. Leon doubled over in pain. The kid kicked him viciously in the chest. He grabbed Leon's hair, pulling his head back as he drove his other fist into Leon's nose. He felt something split with a sickening crack. He collapsed, blood pouring from his face.

"Leon! Stop! Stop!"

_You might want to fix your nose. I have a feeling this is going to turn very ugly._

The boy- his younger "self"- was being restrained by Mr. Alceme. He spat on Leon.

"Don't deny it! You killed her! You stole into our house and shot her while she slept! Murderer!"

Leon stared up at him. "What did you say?"

I don't think he's seeing you as you are. For whatever reason, they think you're the thug who killed your mum. Wonder why?

His young self gritted his teeth. "You heard me. It's time for you to pay for what you did."

His father had gone silent. He put the bouquet of violets down and reached into his coat pocket. Leon's young counterpart did likewise.

They each brought out a deck of Duel Monsters cards.

You've got to be kidding me… 

_Nope. Apparently your mind sees Duel Monsters as the best way to resolve disputes._

_He thinks I killed his mother. And we're going to resolve it by playing a card game?_

_Hey, it's your mind._

"You want to duel against me?" Leon asked nasally, his hand pressed against his nose to stop the bleeding.

His father nodded. "Two against one. Four thousand for each of us, eight thousand for you."

"Seems fair to me."

His young self gave him an incredibly cold look. His face was contorted with pain.

"When this is over, you will die, murderer. I will be the one who kills you. To see the fear and pain in your eyes when you see that black abyss in your soul. This isn't one of your safe games. We stake far more then pride or cards here. We will stake our lives."

_Were you abused as a kid? That little version of you is seriously messed up._

_Shut up before I ram a sword down your throat!_

_Touchy, aren't we?_

The combatants spread out to face each other. Leon moved in front of his mother's grave, while his counterpart and father were opposite him. His father clicked his fingers. A duel disk appeared on each player's wrist.

"To the death, then…so be it."

_Are you sure?_

_I don't exactly have a choice, do I?_

_Touché. _

"DUEL!"

(8000/4000/4000)

"I will start things," The younger Leon said. His face was still torn by grief, but his eyes had gone cold. The look was eerily familiar. He drew, and examined his hand.

"I'll set two cards facedown."

The cards shimmered into existence in front of him. They looked incredibly realistic.

"No monsters? Are you trying to give me the victory?" Leon remarked.

"I will give you nothing except death. You murdered my mother!"

I bet you don't hear that one everyday. You had quite the vocabulary back then, didn't you?

Don't remind me.

"If you say so," he remarked sarcastically. "You finished?"

He nodded and looked at his father. Mr. Alceme drew a card.

"I'll also place two cards facedown. Your move."

_Your dad seems rather distant. What's his story?_

_That's not my dad. I have to keep focused on this._

_Fighting against him must still hurt though, right?_

Leon ignored him and focused on the field.

_Neither of them played a monster. They must be trying to trap me- but I can't afford to let this chance slip by._

"Fine. I'll set one card facedown, and then summon Mystic Tomato (1400/1100) in attack mode!"

The orange vegetable monster bobbed up, out of its card. It grinned evilly at Leon's opponents, baring its teeth. Despite its gruesome image, he was reassured by its presence.

"I end my turn."

His younger "self", sneered at him.

"Dark monsters- how typical. Dark for the dark people. People like you are vile. It leaks from you, pulling at the strings of society, polluting the world we live in. You're rotten to the core, through and through. Yet society doesn't want to put you in your place. No matter- we'll make sure you get what you deserve."

"Spare me the lecture and make a move."

He drew.

"I summon Masked Dragon (1400/1100) in attack mode!" He pointed at Leon. "Attack Mystic Tomato!"

"They'll destroy each other." Leon noted calmly.

The dragon rushed towards Mystic Tomato, burying its fangs in its flesh. They struggled, neither one able to gain the advantage. Them they exploded, the innards of Mystic Tomato drenching the grass verge.

"How graphic." Leon commented. His counterpart looked nauseous, while his father just watched, expressionless.

"Now, I get another Masked Dragon from my deck!"

"And I get another Mystic Tomato!"

An identical dragon appeared and bellowed at him. Then, another copy of Mystic Tomato jumped from its card. It turned around and winked at Leon, before noticing the dragon. It raised the leaves on the top of its head, bristling like a dog as it scowled at its opponent. Leon chuckled softly.

"Once more into the breach? It'll end the same way."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at his father. Mr. Alceme had watched the battle in silence. He gave a very slight nod, barely moving his head. The younger Leon seemed to acknowledge something. He turned back to face Leon, and tapped two buttons on his duel disk.

"Not quite. In battle, using the same trick twice gets you killed. I activate Ring of Destruction!"

One of his facedown cards flipped over. It was a trap, depicting a burning ring of fire.

"This destroys one monster on the field…"

A hologram of the pictured ring flew out from the card and slammed into Mystic Tomato, trapping it. The cocky smile on the monster's face vanished as it looked around wildly. It screamed gibberish, bobbing around madly within the ring. It looked at Leon pleadingly, and then exploded. Its guts splattered across the verge, adding to the mess generated by the first one's demise.

"No!"

"And now my card's second ability activates! Everyone takes damage equal to your monster's attack strength, and since it was destroyed by an effect, its ability doesn't activate!"

Fire from the explosion surged towards the three combatants. It struck Leon, the searing heat of the fire almost setting his coat aflame. He shielded his eyes with his arms.

"ARGH!!!"

He dropped to his knees. Burn marks covered his hands and arms where he'd raised them. He shivered, rocking back and forth in shock.

_The fire was real…the burns are real. He wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to kill me._

_We're in your mind. Everything you see and hear- and feel- is real to you._

_No shit, Sherlock. However did you figure that one out?_

He stood shakily, barely able to stand. He saw the score line.

(6600/4000/4000)

"Why…why didn't you two lose any points?" He managed to choke out.

His father smiled coldly and pointed to one of his facedown cards, which had flipped open.

"Ring of Defence. Protects me from all damage inflicted by a Trap. It seems you weren't so lucky."

"But why…why didn't he lose anything either?"

The younger version of himself laughed and indicated his other facedown card.

"I had a Ring of Defence too! So we don't lose squat, while you take all the damage. And now, you're going to lose even more!"

His new dragon uncoiled itself. It looked hungrily at Leon.

"Now, Masked Dragon, attack directly!"

His eyes fell to his facedown card.

_If I use it, I'll block his attack, but then I'll have nothing to stop my dad from attacking me directly. I'd best save it for now._

_He's not your dad. Brace for impact!_

It leaped forward, slashing downward with its claws. It ripped down his chest, leaving three red, gaping wounds in it. His eyes widened, and he screamed in agony. Blood began leaking from them, staining the remnants of his shredded shirt.

(5200/4000/4000)

_That looked painful._

_Did you figure that out by yourself? Yes, it's bloody painful!_

The younger Leon watched him, wearing a smug smirk on his face.

"That's right- on your knees. That's where scum like you belong- grovelling in the gutters at the feet of decent people."

Leon stared up at him. He was bleeding freely from the claw wounds, but he stared at his opponent defiantly.

"And you…you think you're decent? That's…that's the funniest thing I've heard in my life!"

His eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

Leon staggered to his feet. He slipped his long coat off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. His body started to shake again.

But this time, with laughter.

True, honest laughter. It echoed around the clearing as he roared hysterically. Mr. Alceme raised an eyebrow, but the other Leon didn't move. Slowly, Leon's laughter subsided and died away. He dropped his eyes.

"You hypocrite. You…you who claim to be pure and clean. You are _nothing_. You've dragged me into a game where we could all die horribly, simply to satisfy your desire for revenge. Your bloodlust has left me beaten and bloody."

He held up his arms, showing off the burns from the fire of Ring of Destruction.

"How does this make you superior to me?"

His counterpart fell silent. After a few moments of silence, his expression grew angry.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, murderer! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Nor have I."

He looked stunned.

"You…you deny it? How can you? You have done everything wrong. You killed her! One act…one greedy little act… it destroyed everything. It took her light from me. You took her light from me. And for as long as I am on this earth, I swear- I will never forgive you for that. Never!"

"Spare me your heartache, you little runt. Want to know something? People move on, they don't go harping after the dead. We live, we die, and we grieve. That's life. You lost your mother. Guess what? Nobody cares."

"How dare you say that to me?! What gives you the right?!" He shouted, incandescent with rage.

"What gives you the right to dismiss the truth?"

His face lost all its colour. "What did you say to me?"

"Nobody will care that she is gone. It's the way of the world- nobody pays attention to anyone else's pain. Because they are _barely dealing with their own_."

_You're being a little harsh, aren't you?_

_No. I never came to accept that truth. But that doesn't mean that he can't._

"I am not going to waste my breath on you anymore, murderer. I end my turn!"

Mr. Alceme had stayed unnervingly silent throughout the exchange. He drew his card.

"One card facedown."

The cards hologram shimmered into view alongside his other one. He was speaking slowly and quietly, with no emotion in his voice. Leon looked at him uncertainly.

"Then, Slate Warrior (1900/400) in attack position."

The blue-skinned monster clawed its way out of the card. It was human in terms of limbs, but that was where the similarities ended. It wore yellow armour, and the rest of its body was a collage of different colours. Its eyes were dark.

"Slate Warrior, direct attack."

The monster moved with surprising quickness, sprinting towards him to attack him in the stomach.

"Hold up there. I activate Sakuretsu Armour!"

Leon's facedown card flipped over, transforming itself into what looked like a cross between a demon and a suit of armour. It charged headlong into Slate Warrior, crushing it with ease before fading away.

"Anything else you want to try?" Leon remarked sarcastically.

"…No. Your turn."

"Thank you. Now! I summon Chiron the Mage (1800/1000) in attack mode!"

The centaur leaped from his card, weapon raised.

"Attack Masked Dragon!"

Staff lowered like a lance, the monster charged, slamming straight into the dragon with the full brunt of the charge. It screamed in pain and exploded. Leon noticed that his counterpart was clearly in pain, clutching his chest and wincing.

(5200/3600/4000)

"What's wrong? Can't handle the heat?"

"Shut up!"

Leon continued to goad him. "You won't win this way. What would your mother think?"

He swore violently at him. His father, as always, remained silent.

"Go on, pull out another dragon,"

"I…don't have another one in my deck"

"What?"

"You heard me, murderer. Now finish your move already!"

"I've only killed as many people as you- that being none."

"I don't believe you!"

"Stop."

Both Leons looked at Alceme. He gave the older one a glance, before tapping a button on his duel disk.

"Spell card, activate."

His newly card flipped over. It depicted Dark Necrofear, Dark Ruler Ha Des, and Invader of Darkness discussing over a map of the world.

"Dark Strategies. When a monster on my side of the field goes to the Graveyard, I can select one Fiend-Type monster with fifteen hundred attack points or fewer from my deck, hand, or graveyard, and Special Summon it to the field in attack position. So, I'll take Snipe Hunter from my deck."

All of this was said very calmly and deliberately. The little purple demon somersaulted out of his card neatly, pulling out a cheesy ray gun. It mimed shooting Leon, and then twirled its weapon around like a baton. Upon seeing Chiron, it screamed comically and ran behind its master. Leon chuckled, despite himself.

"Interesting pet. Does it do requests?"

The joke was lost on him. "It's still your move."

"Of course. I'll set a card facedown and that's all."

The younger Leon drew. Upon examining his card, he began to chuckle softly.

"Murderer…do you know what alchemy is?"

Bile began to rise in Leon's throat. He knew where this was heading.

"The attempted transmutation of base metals into gold. As far as I know, it never actually worked."

"True…but there was a secondary obsession. People who wanted limitless wealth used the process you speak of. However, other sought something else. Wealth may speak volumes in this world, but it's worthless in the next."

"In the next world…No. You wouldn't!"

"Oh, but I would. The elixir of life…eternal youth. The power to resurrect those who have gone before their time. Absolute power!"

"You think you can bring her back? Using alchemy?"

His eyes flashed. "I know I can!"

"You're a fool…the dead are gone. Nothing on this earth can change that. Especially not some deluded child!"

"I am not a child!"

"You're acting like one. Your mother is dead. You are still alive. Start acting like it!"

"Enough! My alchemy gives me unparalleled power! And I'm going to use it to destroy you!"

"You're insane…"

He cackled. "No. For the first time, I'm seeing things clearly! After tonight, you will never rise again, you murderer!"

"You here to duel or to make stupid threats?"

"You will pay for your insolence! I remove my two Masked Dragons from the Graveyard, to summon two Spirits of Flame!"

Two pillars of fire burst from the ground, shaping themselves into great beasts of fire- a pair of humanoid golems with mottled, crimson skin. They clashed their fists and roared angrily (1700/1000).

"Well, there's a face only a mother could love."

"You dare insult my monsters?"

"Monsters? Oh, no. The golems look fine- mean, nasty, but fine. I was referring to you."

His eyes blazed. "You'll die for that! I play Chaos Distil!"

A massive, orange centrifuge rose up behind him. It hissed, belting out clouds of steam.

"With this Spell, all of my cards which would normally go to the Graveyard will be removed from play instead. Is that simple enough for you, murderer?"

"For the last bloody time, I'm not a murderer! And yes, I understand, so get on with it!"

"I have two more Spell cards left to play. Tin Spell Circle and Silver Key!"

"Oh, how I quiver in fear…"

"These two cards, when activated along with Chaos Distil, let me summon two of my finest creations- fusions of flesh, metal, and sorcery. My Alchemy Beasts!"

"Alchemy Beasts?"

He glared at Leon. "Thought you were keeping up? I use them to play Aetos the Tin (500/500), and Moonface the Silver (500/500)!"

Two vicious monsters appeared. One was some kind of cybernetic hawk, the other literally looked like the Moon, shrunk in size and given legs.

"Four monsters in one move?!"

His eyes gleamed. "Yes and my new monsters have some very special powers. All Alchemy Beasts possess the power to attack my opponent directly. Aetos, go!"

"WHAT?"

The hawk hurtled towards him, talons bared to claw out his eyes.

"Activate Trap, Mirror Force!"

"NO!"

A tsunami of multi-coloured light flooded out of Leon's trap. As Aetos struck the holy barrier, it glowed, and then reflected, blasting the attack back at all five monsters his opponents had on the field.

"Chain Trap!"

The wave of light reached the monsters, and then suddenly dispersed. All the monsters were unharmed. Alceme was smiling coldly.

"Zero Gravity switches the battle position of all monsters. That means all our monsters switch to defence mode, and Mirror Force has nothing to destroy."

Leon scowled at him. His father ignored him, instead looking at his "son".

"You should have been more careful. Next time I won't bail you out."

He hung his head. "Right. Sorry Dad."

"Are you two done? The audience is getting bored!"

The young Leon gave him a strange look. "Audience?"

Leon nodded.

"… Fine, whatever you say. I end."

Leon's father drew. "I switch Snipe Hunter to attack position, and activate the effect of my monster. I discard one card from my hand, to select one card on the field."

Snipe Hunter grinned evilly, pointing his weapon at Chiron.

"I then roll a die. If the result is neither one nor six, that card is destroyed. I roll."

The number counter on his monster's weapon began to flick forward. The reel spun faster and faster, mimicking the beats of Leon's heart.

_Ooh, the tension builds. What passion! What skill! Now THIS is a show!_

The reels slowed down, finally drifting to a stop on…. a five.

"Excellent. Now, destroy Chiron."

Snipe Hunter fired, blasting Chiron to ashes. The blast penetrated through him, striking Leon through the heart. He closed his eyes with pain, only to smash in the face by something blunt. His eyes went wide with fear and surprise. He saw his Life Points beginning to drop. He looked up, and Slate Warrior was standing on his father's field.

(3300/3600/4000)

"Why did I…" he stopped, unable to carry on speaking.

Mr. Alceme fished a card out of his Graveyard and held it up.

"Bloodthirsty Skeleton. When it's discarded from my hand, I get to revive one Fiend or Zombie-Type monster from my Graveyard. I chose Slate Warrior, and he just attacked you directly. And now, my Snipe Hunter will also attack directly!"

Snipe Hunter fired again, the blast driving Leon back to his knees. The younger Leon cheered savagely, enjoying his torment.

(1800/3600/4000)

Leon's body was shaking uncontrollably with the pain. He looked up and cursed at his father. Mr. Alceme merely wrinkled his nose in disdain.

"I'll end with one monster in Defence mode. Assuming you can still stand, it's your move."

"I…will…" He drew. He coughed up blood, retching onto the grass. He looked at his card.

_Nimble Momonga…this could help turn things around._

"I'll place…one card facedown." He took his time slotting the card into his duel disk. His hands were shaking so badly, it took three attempts. Blood dripped down, dying his cards red.

"And for my last move…a monster in Defence mode."

Mr. Alceme laughed. "Is that all you can come up with? You can barely stand, let alone duel. Why not just give up?"

Leon spat blood at his father, a futile effort of defiance. He wrinkled his nose again. Leon glared.

"Why not give up? I've…I've asked myself that before. So many times…I've felt beaten. Felt like I should just lie down… and let the river carry me where it would. But today…isn't one of those times. You two are going down!"

_Bravo. Henry the fifth couldn't have done better himself._

_Thanks…I think._

He forced himself back to his feet. His vision turned red with pain. His father wore an unreadable expression. The younger Leon smiled sadistically, pleased that the goading had forced him back up, so that he could knock him down again. He sneered as he drew.

"I play Pot of Greed!"

He drew two more cards. He examined them closely. His gaze flicked across his two Alchemy Beasts for a moment, then returned to his cards. Then, he slammed one into his duel disk.

"I activate the Spell card, Black Process Negedo!"

Moonface and Aetos exploded, transforming themselves into great pillars of flames.

"This card lets me remove all my Alchemy Beasts from play, in order to draw two new cards per beast. So I draw four cards now!"

Leon was sickened. "You'd take out your own cards, just to defeat me? Do you hate me so much?"

His face was expressionless. "You slaughtered my mother. There is nothing I can do to make your pain equal to hers- or to mine. But I will do my best to make it so."

Leon was silent.

_Was I really…this bad? Did it affect me this badly?_

_Yes._

_I blocked all this out…hid it within the bowels of my mind…_

_Like me, they're tired of it. Tired of being locked away. Now it's all up to destiny- not, of course, that you believe in it._

_Like you…?_

"Hey, murderer! It's still my turn!"

Leon shook his head, only half in despair. "Fine, carry on."

"Thank you. I activate two more Spells- Lead Compass, and Mercury Hourglass!"

"Let me guess- two more Alchemy beasts?"

The wildness was back in his eyes. "Correct!"

A large, blue-silver fish glided into position, followed by a giant, metallic lion.

"Meet Echeneis the Mercury and Leon the Lead!"

"Leon? You play a monster named after yourself?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with that?" he repeated, incredulous. "Where the hell do I start?"

"I play another Black Process Negedo!"

A violent flame consumed his monsters, reducing them to dust in the wind. He picked up four cards and started laughing hysterically again.

"What's so funny?"

"You…thinking that you stand a chance against me. My deck is invincible!"

"Possibly. But if they could, your monsters would rip out your eyes and eat them."

"What was that?!"

"It's true. You have blasted your cards to ashes, to play more of them, to destroy them again, and so the cycle repeats itself."

"So?"

"You sicken me."

"You're calling me sick? You kill people while they sleep!"

"I will only say this one more time. _I did not kill her_. What can I do to convince you of that?"

"You can't."

"You are black inside…only a person like you could have such disrespect for his opponent, not to mention his cards."

"That's all they are. Cards. Ink on cardboard, to be used and disposed of."

I'm starting to see why you suppressed this memory. That guy is even more psycho then you!

Leon clenched his hands. He closed his eyes, so his opponents wouldn't see the tears.

"You're wrong. This is more then a card game. At least to me."

"Aww, so you love your deck. That's so sweet. But you're lying."

"I'm not. This deck…my heart is in it. My soul is in it. All the duels I've won, lost…all in here. My memories. That's why you won't win."

His father had seemed to almost fade away during their exchange. He seemed to snap back into focus now and then, catching brief hints of the conversation.

"You will never defeat us both. I activate Bronze Scale and Steel Lamp! Now I can summon Salamandra the Steel (500/500), and Ouroboros the Bronze (500/500)!"

Two more monsters leaped to the field in attack position.

"I will also switch my two Spirit of Flames to attack mode."

Once again, Leon's opponents had created a field full of monsters. His two Spirit of Flames monsters suddenly clashed their fists and roared a war cry.

"Since we are now in my battle phase, my two monsters gain 300 attack points (2000/1000). Now, Salamandra and Ouroboros, attack him directly!"

"Activate Trap card! Sakuretsu Armour!"

The armoured golem rose up and shattered Salamandra with one blow. Leon screamed as blue-white fire tore through him. He stayed on his feet, but he could barely see anything. He realized that the slashes on his chest had stopped bleeding- the fire had been hot enough to sear them shut.

(1300/3600/4000)

"No matter. With only one monster, you're finished. Spirits of Flame go! Destroy his last monster, and send this scum off to the great beyond!"

The golem smashed through Leon's monster. A brown, furry animal popped out and screamed as it was destroyed.

"You were playing a flying rat?"

"He's a squirrel!"

_No, he's a rat._

_It's a squirrel, damnit!_

_Rat._

_Squirrel._

_Rat._

_Squirrel._

_Rat._

_Since when do rats fly?_

_Get on with the game!_

"His ability activates now." Leon informed his counterpart.

"What kind of ability could a rat have? Excess breeding?"

"He's a- oh, never mind. First, I gain a thousand Life Points."

(2300/3600/4000)

Two more Nimble Momongas appeared on Leon's shoulders. One of them pointed and laughed at Snipe Hunter, who responded by pulling a face. The other one started whispering in Leon's ear.

"Hey Boss. That guy looks sorta like you!"

He talks?

Aye, the rat talks. We're in your mind, remember? We don't follow the laws of reality.

"Aye. I need you two to go back me up. That ok?"

"I dunno Boss…we're pals and all, but those two muscleheads look veeeeeeeerrrry scary."

"If it's any consolation…"

He pointed at his younger counterpart.

"The ugly one called you a rat."

Its eyes flashed. "He did? Dat bastard! CHAAAAAAAAAARGE!"

"Now, I get two more Nimble Momongas, in facedown defence position."

The Nimble who had laughed at Snipe Hunter was burnt to a crisp by the other Spirit of Flames. The remaining one made a rude gesture at it. Leon felt the pain in his body lessen as he gained more points.

(3300/3600/4000)

"Are you finished?" His father said mildly.

The younger Leon nodded. Mr. Alceme drew.

"I sacrifice Snipe Hunter, Slate Warrior, and my facedown Giant Germ. This allows me to summon Raviel, Lord of Phantasms!"

The skies went black. His three monsters vanished in streams of blue-white light. The streams began to merge, forming an image of a monster. It became clearer, forming into purple-blue skin and silver claws. The energy dulled, becoming duller, until finally-

**FOOM!**

A gigantic monster stood on his father's field. Almost as large as the Egyptian God cards, it towered over the clearing, blotting out the sinking sun with its presence. It screamed in rage, the force almost blowing Leon away. He slung his coat back on, so it wouldn't be blown away.

(4000/4000)

"That's... not good."

Leon's last Nimble Momonga poked its head out from under its card. Upon seeing Raviel, it shrieked with fright and hid. It peeped back out, but upon seeing that Raviel wasn't going to go away, it turned to face Leon.

"Er…Boss? I forget to tell you, I need to go, _now_. You understand, right? Right?"

"Sorry…"

"Raviel, attack the last Nimble Momonga!"

Nimble's eyes widened. "Oh bugger."

Leon winced. "Aye, that's what I was thinking."

Leon looked away. Raviel shredded his monster utterly, leaving no trace of it except a bloodied scrap of skin lying in the grass.

"You monster…"

His father didn't bat an eyelid.

"Thanks to my Nimble Momonga, I gain 1000 Life Points!"

Still silence.

(4300/3600/4000)

"I activate a Spell card. Guidance of Night!"

The card showed Vampire Lord leading a young woman down a dark passageway.

"I pay 1000 Life Points. Now my Raviel cannot be targeted by Spell, Trap, or Monster effects."

(4300/3600/3000)

_Great…with 4000 points I won't be able to beat it in battle, even with my strongest card…and now my Spell and Trap cards are useless as well!_

_Oft hope is born, when all's forlorn._

_What does that mean?_

_You'll find out later._

"There is, however, a drawback. My Raviel can now only attack once every two turns. Simply put, he won't be attacking you next turn. I'm finished here, so go on."

"I draw!"

Leon realized his wounds were giving him almost no trouble- the sacrifice of his three Nimble Momongas had almost completely healed him. He examined his card.

_Graverobber…_

_Not really going to help right now. But it might be of use to you later._

_I'll keep that in mind._

"I'll set one card facedown, and one monster facedown in Defence position. Your move."

His couterpart spat at him.

"About time! I draw!"

One of his Spirits exploded, its energy swirling into the card he just picked up.

"What happened?"

"To set this card, I must Tribute one of my monsters. My Spirit took one for the team. I'm also setting another card facedown."

His two cards shimmered into existence.

"Salamandra the Steel, attack directly with Flame Shot of Ore!"

A stream of fire engulfed Leon. The smell of charred flesh began to pollute the clearing.

(3800/3600/3000)

"Spirit of Flames, attack his monster!"

The behemoth slammed a fist through his monster, leaving it as useless scrap iron.

"You destroyed everyone's favorite engine- Dekoichi, the Battlechanted Locomotive. I draw one card thanks to his ability."

His counterpart let out a growl. Leon waved a finger at him.

"Now now. Let's try and keep things civil."

"I end my turn!"

His father drew. "I pass. Your move."

Of course…he can't attack me this turn.

Leon nodded and drew. His eyes lit up.

"I guess what they say is true- history repeats itself."

His younger self looked curious. "What are you doing?"

"I play Pot of Avarice!"

Five balls of light emerged from Leon's graveyard. Dekoichi and Mystic Tomato returned to his deck immediately, but the other three lingered. Leon's three Nimble Momonga started cheering.

"We're back!" the first cried.

"Boss, you're the best!" the second one sang.

"Ready boys?" the third one- obviously the leader- shouted.

The other two nodded. Before they returned to his deck, they hovered around Leon and struck a Dark-Scorpion-esque pose. Together, they let out a battle cry.

"MOMONGA POWER!!!"

The younger Leon looked stupefied. His father smiled dryly.

"Momonga Power?"

Leon nodded sagely. "Never underestimate the power of Momonga. Now, I've shuffled five monsters back into my deck. I get to draw two cards."

He picked them up. The cards were Magic Cylinder and one of the Nimbles he'd shuffled in. It poked its head and chuckled.

"We really have to stop meeting like this- people will talk!"

"Aye. Ready to fight?"

"For you, Boss? Always."

"You're the best." He turned to his opponents. "I set one card facedown and one monster in facedown defence position."

The Nimble gave him a smile before hiding under his card. The younger Leon looked angry.

"Murderer! Stop stalling! Are you done?!"

Leon nodded. His counterpart was getting angrier, while he had seemed to sink into an icy calm. His father barely seemed to be there in person, only speaking when he needed to make a move. His monster was radiating a cold aura, chilling Leon despite the warmth of the setting sun. His counterpart drew.

"I tribute my Spirit of Flames, to summon Golden Homunculus in attack position!"

Spirit of Flames began to morph, the fiery red of its mottled skin beginning to shine a dull gold. It grew larger, transforming into a golden ogre, almost as large as Raviel.

(1500/1500)

"Doesn't look so tough." The Nimble scoffed, deliberately looking away from Raviel.

"Are you so sure?"

Golden Homunculus began to grow larger. Golden fire rolled from it, as it swelled to surpass Raviel in both size and strength.

(6900/6900)

"Holy shit!" Nimble disappeared inside his card like a fox down a hole.

"Holy something…" Leon muttered. "How did it get so strong?"

"Simple. Eighteen of my cards are out of play. My monster gains 300 attack and defence points for each, putting it at almost seven thousand!"

"Ugh…"

"I next use my two facedown cards! Activate Traps, Macro Cosmos, and Micro Cosmos!"

"Micro Cosmos?!"

He laughed. "Here's how it works. I have to Tribute a Spell or Trap card to activate this card, but it's worth it. For as long as it stays on the field, you may not use Trap cards Macro Cosmos sends every card that would go to the Graveyard out of play- my father's, yours, and mine. It also lets me summon Helios- the Primordial Sun in attack mode!"

The sun itself seemed to glow red over their heads. Chaos Distil vanished as a meteor streaked across the skies, headed straight for them. It crashed into the middle of the clearing. When the smoke cleared, a figure was standing before him. It was wrapped in bandages like a mummy, but where the head would be, burned a fiery crimson sun.

"This monster gains 100 attack and defence points for each monster removed from play. That's eight, so that's 800."

Leon was silent.

_He's stopped all my traps. And with two incredibly powerful monsters on their side, I don't see how I can win this…_

_How funny. I do._

_How?_

_Your next card, of course._

Leon looked down at his duel disk. His next card looked ordinary.

_We're in your mind. Whatever you want to happen, happens. If you want it badly enough, you'll win._

_Why are you helping me?_

_Because I want to be the one who crushes you. These two seek to deny me my prize._

"Salamandra the Steel, attack directly!"

Leon's world became consumed in fire again. He panted rapidly, trying to stop his shell-shocked body from shaking.

(3300/3600/3000)

"Golden Homunculus, finish his monster off! Stone Shard Storm!"

Nimble Momonga was pelted with rocks and crushed viciously. Leon's counterpart scoffed.

"Live like a rat, die like a rat. So much for Momonga power!"

" He's a squirrel! And more fool you. I use his ability!"

"Grr…"

(4300/3600/3000)

The other two Momongas leapt to the field again. Upon seeing the tattered remnants of the first Nimble, they shrieked in anger.

"Our brother!" the first hissed.

"Who did it? I'll tear out his eyes!" the second yelled.

"Helios, destroy one of those rats!" The younger Leon screamed.

"Rat? Why you son of a-" it squeaked.

The fireball hit home. Leon's Life Points increased again, but the charred corpse of the Momonga left sorrow in his heart.

(5300/3600/3000)

"I'll end with one facedown."

Alceme picked up a card silently. "Attack his last monster!"

Raviel swept through his last defence. His Life Points now towered over those of his opponents, but he had run out of ideas.

(6300/3600/3000)

"It's your move."

_Remember- if you want it badly enough, you can do anything. Even get over your grief._

_My grief…?_

_You locked this away- repressed it. Because you couldn't deal with her death. Your mother died. But why does he think you did it?_

_I wasn't strong enough to protect her. I never was. Never strong enough to protect those I love. My father was proof of that. He's here…we fell out after she died. We never forgave each other._

_The only way for you to win is to let go of this. Can you do that?_

"I draw!" Leon shouted. He closed his eyes.

_Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Thrash these guys._

The young Leon scoffed. "What can you do with one card?"

"Enough. I can do enough."

"Well? What is it already?"

Leon saw his card. A grin broke out on his face as he thrust it into his duel disk.

"Lightning Vortex!"

"NO!"

"It's not possible…" His father choked out.

Lightning rained down from the heavens, incinerating Salamandra, Golden Homunculus, Helios, and Raviel in a huge explosion. They collapsed- blackened, burnt, useless husks of their former selves.

"It's over."

The young Leon closed his eyes. "No…it's not over. Your end is nigh. I activate my facedown Spell card, Gold Centrifuge!"

All the blackened monsters on his side of the field rose into the air. They began to shine with a golden light, turning to dust as they gathered in the centrifuge. It rattled, as if the power contained within was too much to contain. It began to undergo a metamorphosis, shifting and oozing, growing larger and larger. It shone brightly, forcing Leon to cover his eyes.

"REMALIS THE GOLD, COME FORTH!!!!!" The younger Leon bellowed.

_My, my. You had a lot of anger in you back then._

_You still wonder why I repressed this?_

A piercing scream rang through the clearing. It was primal, and barbaric, like some great beast of legend.

Leon opened his eyes.

This new creature seemed to be a mix of magic, metal, and mythology. It towered over the treetops, easily dwarfing Golden Homunculus or Raviel. Leon looked like an ant in the dust by comparison. It was a deep gold in colour- its body was metallic, but six organic wings sprouted from its back. It vaguely resembled the legendary Winged Dragon of Ra, but instead of a Phoenix, it looked more like a great eagle or Griffon. It's forearms ended in great three-clawed talons, each claw ending in a wicked hook, It's eyes were coloured a deep purple, and teeth filled its great maw. Its face was contorted in a vicious leer. It growled hungrily at him.

Leon looked at its information.

(500/500)

"This is another Alchemy Beast? It doesn't look very strong."

"The greatest and most powerful of them all! Watch as his power grows!"

Four more monsters appeared on his side of the field. Leon the Lead, Aetos the Tin, Moonface the Silver, and Salamandra the Steel appeared next to this leviathan. Remalis let out a piercing shriek, causing Leon to cover his ears. All four of the revived monsters shattered, their energy being absorbed into its great jaws. His attack score climbed to 1300.

"I'm still not impressed."

The younger Leon started laughing madly. The cards in his hand began to smoke, then glowed gold and were sucked into his Graveyard. Remalis absorbed their power, his power reaching 1900.

"What are you doing?!"

"By feeding cards to my great beast, I can boost his power. Now watch this- Raviel, Lord of Phantasms, return!"

Alceme's face betrayed no expression as the card's power streamed into Remalis.

(3900/3900)

"Gold Centrifuge forces a Tribute of all the monsters on my side of the field, but in exchange, Remalis gains half of the original attack strength of the most powerful monster sacrificed."

"You sacrificed…even your partner's cards. How low can you go?!"

"As low as it takes to kill you! Remalis, direct attack! Flames of Atonement!!!!!"

If before had been painful for Leon, then this attack would seem like Hell itself had been unleashed. The great maw of his monster opened wide. Golden fire began to build inside the gaping jaws.

I suggest closing your eyes- assuming of course, that you value being able to see.

"KILL HIM!"

It chilled him, seeing how far gone he'd once been. Here he stood, facing his past- and at the moment, he was losing.

Remalis shot out massive gouts of flame from its mouth. Leon closed his eyes just as the fire hit home. The pain was incredible- every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire. His shirt and coat were set aflame, withering away into small piles of ash. The dry grass caught fire under his feet, burning the soles of his feet through his shoes.

But despite all this, no sound passed his lips. He would not give this twisted reflection of himself the satisfaction of seeing him beg for mercy.

His younger self was cackling insanely. "DEATH!!! DEATH TO YOU!!!"

"Sorry…to disappoint you."

My my. That you are standing here now proves that there is some mystery left in the world.

He was alive. Every piece of visible skin was burnt black. His vision was almost completely gone, and he could barely stand. His clothes were in charred remnants, barely covering himself. Each word he spoke caused him unimaginable pain, so severe was the damage to his throat.

But he lived.

The young Leon was shocked. "How can you be standing? You should be dead!"

(2400/3600/3000)

"Are you…done?"

He nodded. "Father, kill this fool. Finish him off!"

"Dad…" Leon was delirious. He couldn't get his voice to work properly,

"Don't do it…"

"I offer four of my cards to the great Remalis! Take my humble offering, God of the Sky!"

All the cards in his hand vanished. The card merged with Remalis, causing it to swell with might. Leon watched, revolted.

(4700/4700)

"No…"

"It's your last move, scum. Use it wisely."

Leon tried to draw, but he was too weak to move. He tried again, and again, but the effort caused him to lose his balance. He collapsed, his body too weak to support him. His world grew dark. He could no longer hear anything, nor see anything distinct. His sight was filled with the obscene glow of Remalis, a blurry gold shape amid the shadows. He could feel himself slipping away.

_Get up!_

_…Huh?_

_If you don't get up, you will die. Tempting as that would be for us both, I'm not about to let it happen._

Images began flickering in front of him.

Taylor, blowing him a kiss as she walked away.

"I believe in you."

His mother, dressed in a funeral shroud, a pained expression on her face.

"Such pain…I'm sorry, Leon."

His father- his real father- shaking his head.

"This isn't over yet. Make us proud, son."

Then, himself. Himself, as he was before he entered his mind. He put his coat around him, and smiled. Leon stared at him, trying to believe his injured eyes.

"It's you…" he choked out.

"I forgive you for this. Your time has not come yet. Stop blaming yourself for her death."

"Blaming myself?"

"That's why your young self was so hostile towards you. He saw you as the murderer- because in his eyes- your eyes- you were the one who killed your mother. You were too weak to save her. Your pain was too intense to bear, so you repressed it rather then face the truth."

"It's killing me…I can't fight anymore. I have to go…"

The other Leon shook his head.

"People still need you. Taylor still needs you. Play the role of the knight, and save your lady fair. Ok?"

He grasped Leon's hand and pulled him to his feet. They shared a nod. The darkness lifted from his sight, and he pulled himself to his feet. He picked up his last card. It swam in and out of focus, but it was clear enough. In a flash, it came to him. He knew exactly how he was going to win.

"I set one card facedown. That's all."

His counterpart snickered. "That's all? REMALIS! KILL HIM!"

"No. You've just lost this game."

"What are you talking about?"

"Before Remalis attacks, I use a Trap. Go…Ring of Destruction!"

A ring of fire appeared around his monsters neck. It screamed and roared in rage, trying to break free from the binding.

"NO!"

His father snarled. "Do you plan to kill us all? You're mad!"

"Quite…possibly. But I have one more Trap to play. You powered up your creature… giving me the means to defeat it. This ends now!"

A small figure leaped to Alceme's Graveyard, grabbing a card that ejected from it. It shouldered its pickaxe and screeched madly. It flipped the card to Leon, who held it up in defiance.

"Graverobber! I pay two thousand Life Points to steal Ring of Defence- and I'll use it!"

Alceme smiled and pointed to one of his facedown cards, which had flipped open.

"Ring of Defence. Protects me from all damage inflicted by a Trap. It seems you weren't so lucky."

"IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!"

Remalis screamed in pain and rage. It tried to rip the ring free, but to no avail. A frenzied look appeared in its eyes, like a wild animal that knows its time is nigh. Alceme's mask finally cracked, revealing the emotion he was feeling.

Fear. Fear of the power Leon held in his hands.

"Be…gone."

Remalis exploded, a titanic burst of flame blossoming out from its neck. It quickly consumed the creature, becoming a raging inferno that torched the landscape. A spinning ring materialized and protected Leon from the explosion, leaving Alceme and his double to take the brunt of the blast. From behind his shield, Leon watched as the heat seared flesh from bone. A sickeningly sweet smell began coursing through the air. Leon's father screamed as the fire consumed him. Leon looked away, unable to watch anymore. The sound of the flames died away, slowly.

Silence pervaded the clearing. He looked back. All that remained of them were a pair of charred skeletons, and the smell of death.

(400/0/0)

They were gone. Leon had won.

_You killed them…_

_They knew the risks. That wasn't my father, or me._

_I would have expected you to show more grief._

_Grief? They would have killed me without a second thought. I feel lighter now._

_Just one last thing to do, then._

He turned to face the gravestone.

"Mum…I won. I'm sorry it's been so long. I'm so, so, sorry. I wasn't strong enough to keep you safe. The way you kept me safe, all those long years…but I'm going to move on. You understand, don't you? I can't keep this locked up in my head…its killing me. I need to let this go. Perhaps, when it's my time…we'll see each other again. But there are still things for me to do…I'm sorry. I have to go. Just know…I love you, Mum."

He turned and walked away. A single tear began to slip down his face. As he reached the edge of the clearing, something made him stop.

_You won._

_Yeah._

_You buried the past?_

_Not all of it. But this…yeah._

_What was your father doing here anyway? I don't get it._

_I hated him. Even more so when my mother died- because he couldn't keep her safe. He's here because…because I wanted to kill him after she left this world. That hate never really went away. My subconscious brought my father back- so that I could kill him._

_What are you going to do with all this now?_

_I don't know. But I know something. This scene- all of this- will stay where it belongs._

He paused. Surprisingly, the bouquet of flowers had survived the ordeal. He picked one out, sampling its fragrant scent. He tucked it inside his tattered coat and looked back at the gravestone.

Night had fallen properly now, leaving the clearing in shadow. The scene had been irreparably scarred by the events that had transpired on this day. It looked like a warzone. The grass was gone- he was standing on burnt earth. The trees seemed to weep, their branches torn and twisted by the battle. The fire from Remalis had blackened the grave, hiding the name carved into it.

His face hardened.

_In my nightmares._


	6. Chapter V

_Tap._

_Tap tap._

_Tap tap._

_Tap._

_Tap._

The rain beat softly against the church windows, rolling slowly down the glass. Candles flickered in the dim light, hissing softly now and again. Portraits of saints and icons lined the walls, their images forever entombed in stained glass. A diminutive altar was set against the back wall. It was unremarkable, built of dark, strong oak. A small receptacle for holy water was built into it. Pews stretched the length of the church, seats for the so-called "believers". They were dusty, as was the rest of the church. It seemed the Almighty was short of followers.

One of the nuns was kneeling before the altar. Even though it was technically closed for the night, she was dressed in full regalia. A crucifix was hung around her neck, and she wore the hood over her head. She was old, her wrinkled hands clasped together as her lips moved silently.

Leon was sitting in one of the church pews, watching the nun in silence. His body was covered in burns and scars from his last duel. His skin was roasted and burnt black, from where the fire from Remalis the Gold had almost burnt all feeling from him. The great claw wound in his chest still wept blood and other fluids, staining what remained of his outfit. He tried to stem the flow, but it was obvious it was hopeless.

_I don't remember this place…_

_Of course not. You haven't been here yet._

_Yet?_

_I'm not just showing you the past here. Haven't you got that yet?_

He found his mind wandering back to his last duel. He'd somehow gone back in time, to where his mother was buried. He'd faced versions of himself and his father, and won. But…

"_DEATH!!! DEATH TO YOU!!!"_

"_KILL HIM!!!"_

"_REMALIS! KILL HIM!!!"_

Leon shuddered. His younger self had been driven by pain, rage, and grief. He'd behaved inhumanly, delighting in his torture. It had shocked him, how crazed he had been back then.

_It was born…back then. The blackness within me. How could I do such things?_

_Are you surprised? Grief breaks people. I would have thought you'd know that by now._

He didn't have an answer for that. He stood up gingerly; trying not to anger his injuries any more then was necessary. He limped towards the church doors, wrapping a stolen coat tighter around him.

_Why are you putting up with those wounds?_

_Putting up with them? What do you mean?_

_Why are they still there?_

_What kind of idiotic question is that?_

_Oh, I see. You don't know._

_Know what?!_

_Remember when Remalis nearly killed you?_

_Yes…_

_That works both ways._

_Hang on. Does that mean I can-_

_Yes. Try it out on that chest wound._

_How?_

_Belief is a powerful thing. _

Leon shook his head, but pain tore through him again. He sighed and focused on the tears in his chest.

_Heal…_

The pain started receding. The wound still looked as ugly as ever, but he felt slightly better.

_Better?_

_Much._

_Good. Wouldn't want you dying before the final curtain. My apologies about the lack of cosmetics- belief can't do everything._

Leon left the church. The street was unfamiliar and empty, devoid of all life. A deep fog had rolled in, cloaking the world in illusion. He let the rain wash over him, cleansing the blood and filth from him. Streetlights tried to light the world, the sun having gone to bless another world with its light. But the shadows refused to be illuminated. A stream of water ran down the street, running into the gutters. He knelt down on the pavement, looking at his reflection. A blurred face stared back at him.

"Why did I even come in here…?" Leon muttered quietly.

"Poor, poor, little boy. All alone in the darkness, feeling weak and powerless. Don't worry- I can fix that."

_Déjà vu much?_

_What?_

Something shoved Leon hard in the back. He fell forward, headfirst into the water- and into the street.

"OW!"

He looked around angrily, but there was no one in sight. The voice had been female- it wasn't familiar to him.

"Might want to grab your cards before they go down the drain." The voice continued playfully.

"Huh?"

As if on cue, cards spilled out of his pockets, beginning to float away downstream. He scooped them up frantically, stuffing them back into his deck box. He caught the last one right before it went down the gutter. His eyes widened as he looked at it closely.

_Where did this one come from?_

_Really? Hmm. Does it matter?_

_I've never even heard of it…_

_Again, does it matter? It's new, and it looks like it could help. What more do you want?_

Leon sighed. His deck box started squeaking loudly.

"Outta the way!"

"Certainly not!"

"But I wanna tell the Boss!"

"I said no!"

"Enough! I'm the damn leader, so I'm gonna tell- ARGH!"

"My, my. Excellent technique!"

"Oh, quit your yammering Smith. I'm gonna tell him!"

"Why, you ungrateful blaggard!"

"DUUUUUUUUKE!! Smith said a bad word!"

"I most certainly did not!"

"Oh, stop being so British!"

"Nick, I swear I'm gonna-"

"ENOUGH!!!!" Leon bellowed.

The scuffling stopped. The three Momongas hopped out of his deck box. They looked down shamefully.

"Now, what the hell are you three?"

_Isn't that obvious?_

_Evidently not._

The Momongas exchanged glances. The lead one chuckled nervously.

"Well Boss, we're…we're spirits."

"That's what we wanted to tell ya." Another of them chimed in.

"What kind of spirits?"

_Monster spirits, you idiot._

_Oh._

"Monster spirits, Boss."

"Oh, right. But what are you doing here? You spoke to me before…why?"

_Why indeed._

The third Momonga cleared his throat.

"We came to assist you because of your generosity in letting us participate in your battles. Simply put, it is mutually beneficial for us to combat your abyss as one."

Leon blinked. The lead Momonga chuckled.

"Don't mind Smith, Boss. He's just a little hard to understand sometimes."

Smith nodded. Leon looked bemused.

"And you two would be?"

The leader smirked. "I'm Duke, boss. Leader of the team and-"

"Oh, poopie Duke! The Boss wants to hear about me!"

Leon sighed. "You're Nick?"

He beamed. "Yup. I'm the real brains of this group."

_Then you are truly doomed._

_Shut it._

Leon started to speak, but a feminine cackle rang through the air, cutting him off.

"Are your sappy introductions done? The audience is getting bored."

Smith raised his nose and sniffed. "This voice is positively paranormal."

Everyone looked blankly at him. He sighed dejectedly.

"Simply put- that's not right!"

Leon sighed again and held up the deck box. The Momongas leapt in and he snapped it shut.

"Much better. Now, let's have a little chat, shall we?"

The fog began to swirl and thicken. His deck box started squeaking again.

"Watch it Boss. This looks dangerous!"

_Real Einstein, isn't he?_

A figure began to emerge from the fog. Leon stepped back. His body was tense, and his chest had started hurting badly again. The figure drew nearer.

As it did, it became obvious the person was female. Her silhouette was black against the grey fog.

"Step out so I can see you clearly!" Leon shouted.

The woman giggled softly. She spoke, her voice cheery and layered with humour.

"Of course, darling. Would you like me to put my hands up as well?"

"Don't toy with me." Leon snarled.

The figure giggled again. "But it's so much fun!"

"This is your last warning!"

"Oh, so commanding! I like that in a man. Alright, I'll step out of the dark."

She stepped out of the fog slowly. Leon studied her carefully.

The woman was dressed in a black gown, like some aristocrat from forgotten times. She was extremely pale, her skin as white as a snowstorm. She was tall and thin, her body as lean as a whiplash. She wore several silver bracelets on her wrists. Her hair was of the deepest ebony, falling down around her shoulders. She toyed with a string of it, watching him.

"Who are you?"

She purred softly. Her voice was sweet and light, her crimson lips barely moving as she spoke.

"That's not the question you should be asking. But since you did, my name is _Anima."_

She put extra emphasis on her name, as if tasting it on her tongue. She gazed at him hungrily, like a cat would gaze at a mouse.

_Ring any bells?_

_Why are you asking me?_

_Don't play dumb- I know you know more then you're letting on._

_Moi?_

"Anima…" Leon repeated. "What do you want?"

Her smile widened.

"To seduce you, of course. To possess you- to have you completely and utterly in my power. To lie upon you and feel my body joined to yours- I'm getting aroused just thinking about it!"

She said all this with complete sincerity. Leon was shocked by her frankness and the strangeness of her words.

_She's lying…_

_Is she? You're not as hideous as you'd like to think._

"Flattered though I am, I'm sure you're lying. So why don't you tell me the truth?"

Anima stepped closer to him. He backed off instinctively. She sighed, exaggerating the motion.

"Love…that _was_ the truth."

"I seriously doubt that." Leon spat. "If it was the truth, you wouldn't have told me."

She pouted. "Unless I knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if I did tell you. And you didn't, did you handsome?"

_She's got a point there._

She ran a hand down her hip sensually. "Assuming that I am telling the truth, then…how about it? Will you…_ come with me_?"

Something about the way she said it made him almost want to follow her. She smiled at him coyly. He found his gaze almost locked on her body.

_Intriguing…seems to be something beyond sexual appeal. I wonder how… _

With difficulty, Leon tore his eyes away from her.

"Alas fair lady, I cannot. I am spoken for."

Anima's eyes narrowed sharply. "_What?_"

_Uh-oh. Now you made her mad._

In a flash, she had him by the throat. She lifted him into the air with one hand, as if he were a paper doll. Her strength was astonishing. He choked, his throat being crushed by her vice-like grip. She hissed at him, her voice losing its sweet allure.

"You're _spoken for? _You mean you found someone more entrancing then I? _Now_ who's lying, love? You make it sound like I'm giving you a _choice!_"

Leon tried to respond, but all the air had gone from his lungs. Anima snarled at him, baring her teeth. As she did, Leon noticed they were oddly sharp and elongated. Her eyes too were strange, seeming devoid of normal human emotion. Her grip lessened slightly, and with it her feral attitude. Leon breathed, sucking in as much air as possible.

"Not even a whimper…even braver then I thought. I look forward to tasting your power. I'll let you go for now…but think about what I've said, won't you love?"

"I'm…not…interested." Leon choked out.

"Don't be so hasty! I could make it _very_ worth your while if you decided to be with me."

She dropped him. He massaged his throat, trying to ease some feeling back into his windpipe. She chuckled lightly, all the malice gone from her voice.

"I'll let you think about it. I'm sure you'll come around in time. If not…well, let's not think about that now. Trust me- I can make you forget all about your mousy little girlfriend."

She turned to go.

"I'll see you around, love. Enjoy my little present."

Leon nodded. She gave him another coy smile and walked away, into the fog.

_What was that all about?_

_You're asking me? She's obviously quite taken with you._

_She's obviously not normal- did you see those eyes of hers?_

_Like looking in a mirror, isn't it?_

Leon opened his deck box. He took out the card he'd found in the gutter. He studied it closely, as if trying to determine its origins.

_Staring at it won't help. But check the back._

Intrigued, Leon flipped the card over. It seemed abnormally thick. He ran a finger down the side, and then pulled. A separate card came loose from the back.

_This is…_

_The first one would have been useless without that, no?_

Leon put the two cards away. The fog had cleared, but the rain began thrashing down harder then ever. He started walking back to the church.

_Why did you lie?_

_Lie?_

_You said you had someone. But you don't._

_Taylor-_

_Doesn't love you. And never will. So why didn't you take Anima's offer?_

_Because I…_

_Can't let go? _

_I suppose so._

_It seems you do love her after all, then._

_Love requires more then one person's feelings. It's just a fantasy right now._

_And yet you can't let go of it? That seems to suggest that it's more then you say._

_Look, I…_

_What exactly is it that you feel for her? You didn't tell me when I asked you before._

_That's because I didn't know._

_Do you know now?_

Leon couldn't answer. He had wandered to the back of the church, to the cemetery. Graves of all shapes and sizes were strewn around randomly, almost as if the dead moved around at night.

The way things had been going thus far, it was certainly plausible.

Several of the graves were damaged or defaced, the tombstones cracked and bleeding. The rain ran through the cracks, but the graves remained dirty.

_See? The rain doesn't wash all things clean. Your feelings seem to have influenced the events transpiring here._

_I don't understand…_

_You will. Watch him carefully._

_Him?_

Sure enough, an individual was standing by the smallest grave. It was clean, and looked relatively new. The figure turned around.

Once again, Leon was looking at himself. This version of himself was older then the last, and seemed to be frighteningly emotionless.

_Not again…how do you keep an audience interested by showing the same characters over and over? It must get boring._

_How indeed. These characters are all reflections of you._

_Reflections of me…?_

_You've been here before?_

_The church was new. But this is all too familiar._

He looked directly at Leon and spoke.

"Who are you?"

Leon returned the expressionless look. "I'm the man in the mirror."

His counterpart gave him a curious look. "So it would seem. What can I do for you?"

"Who is in that grave?"

"One of a billion souls resigned to the black abyss of hell. My father."

His face betrayed no expression, but a tear slipped from his eye.

"Someone else who abandoned me. My mother…my father…her…everyone. And he didn't even want to be buried next to her."

He spat on the grave.

"I'm the only one left."

Leon was silent. His other self was speaking with a distinct lack of grief.

"You seem so calm."

"What reason do I have to be upset? Nobody else is left to abandon me. I thought once that I had it all. Friends, family…but they left. Even her…"

_Her?_

"Enough. Did you bring your cards with you?"

He nodded. Without a word, Leon slipped his duel disk on and readied it. His counterpart did likewise. They each picked up five cards silently.

"I will start with one card facedown." His counterpart said. "And a monster in defence position."

Leon drew.

_Not the ideal hand, but it will do._

_Why exactly are you doing this?_

_He's in denial. I remember this- it broke me._

_Why?_

_I have to do what I can for him._

_He's not real. You know that, right?_

_Still…I hate seeing him this way._

_Seeing __**you**__ this way?_

"I play Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode (1900/1000)."

The magical knight rose up. His sword glowed, and his attack points fell to 1600.

"Destroy his facedown card."

Breaker unleashed his energy, blasting away Widespread Ruin. His counterpart watched on, saying nothing.

"Now, attack his monster."

Breaker slashed downward, cutting the monster in half. A cute little frog screamed and vanished.

"Treeborn Frog returns to the earth. But he won't be gone long."

His counterpart's hands shook. He clenched them tightly.

"If only everyone could return as easily."

"Or that the devil didn't guard those in his charge so tightly?" Leon replied cynically.

"Why do you care?"

"Maybe you should ask why I shouldn't care."

He raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"You mentioned your mother and father. Who was the third person?"

_You already know that._

The shield between Leon and his foe's emotions cracked. Tears rolled down his face.

"It doesn't matter. She's gone…I'll never see her again."

"See who?"

"You wouldn't care- you don't know anything about me."

"I know almost _everything_ about you. Who is "her?"

His counterpart clenched his hands together. He stared up at the black skies, the rain indistinguishable from his tears.

"Her name is Taylor. I loved her…but she's gone. And I can't save her. I can't break the spider's web that's around her. I just…all I can do is remember her."

Leon showed no surprise. He'd known it was coming. But he still felt it like a kick to the gut. He heard a snort inside his head.

_Ah…so you did, after all. That's why you did this, isn't it?_

His opponent sank to his knees. He raised his head to look at Leon. His gaze betrayed the true level of sorrow in his heart.

"Why her? Hasn't she suffered enough? Why…"

Leon couldn't respond. He couldn't say anything. All he could do was watch this tragic figure of himself be broken by the pain. The pain he had also felt, so long ago.

"Why was I left behind?"


	7. Chapter VI

The rain descended from heaven. It rolled from the dismal church's roof, dripping down onto the grass, a constant _tap-tap, _a constant backdrop to the scene. The graves, dark and forbidding in the dim light, bore witness to the war.

Inside the church, the nun continued to pray, surrounded by the tokens of her faith. What she prayed for, no one knew. Perhaps for fame, perhaps for wealth. Or perhaps for purer things, like the safety of friends or family.

Or perhaps… she prayed for deliverance. For she had a secret. One she shared silently with all on the earth. Silently, she feared the end. Despite her upbringing, despite the teachings, she feared it all the same. She was old, and her time was near. But she'd never let the fear control her, never let it dictate her life.

Until now.

Candles burned softly, the quiet hiss of the flames almost inaudible. The noise of the rain outside did nothing to distract her from her prayers. She raised her head slowly, looking at the large statue behind the altar.

It was carved in great detail. It was stunningly realistic- its face was chiselled with great care, creating a look of wisdom and venerability. The man held a goblet in his stone hands loosely. The cup itself was real, burnished in silver and inlaid with jewels. Quite why such a relic was in its hands was unclear.

Lightning streaked across the dark clouds, giving a brief illumination to the tumultuous skies. The nun turned her gaze on the stained glass that lined the side of the church. The benevolent pictures of saints and paragons smiled blandly down on her, offering her no more comfort then the storm outside. She bowed her head in despair.

_Please…help me. _

She wasn't really expecting an answer. She was too far gone now. She only wanted to be free from the feebleness of her body. Only to die.

"Gladly. But you'll need to invite me in first."

She looked up. The voice was coming from outside.

"Come in…"

Leon stood, face to face with himself.

Two combatants, wrestling in a bleak coliseum. Their arena was a cesspit of bodies that lacked a spark- the cemetery behind the church. They could barely see each other, the dark skies and looming fog hindering sight, and obscuring the stars. The graves watched on, a silent audience. The grass under his feet was dull and barely alive. The trees looked eerie and dead, thin branches looking like wicked talons in the gloom. The rain flushed roots out from trees, leaves from branches, dirt from skin.

Surely some would have welcomed the cleansing. But not these two, for the rain did not lay everything bare. And Leon, at least, was grateful for that.

His opponent was on his knees, hands gripping the wet earth. His field was bare, staring down Leon's Breaker the Magical Warrior (1600 ATK). The rain hammered down on him, plastering his black hair against his face, but he didn't even notice. He just stared silently at Leon, uncomprehending. His eyes were filled with tears. They flowed freely down his face, indistinguishable from the rain. The look he gave Leon was full of despondency and pain, his dark blue eyes empty of hope.

To his shock, Leon found he was crying as well, tears falling silently down his face. He knew the pain his other self was going through as well as he knew the cards in his deck. Seeing himself go through it again was horrifying. He'd kidded himself that it had gone away, that he was past it.

As if he ever could be past these events.

"Are you giving up?"

His opponent shook his head. With some effort, he stood up. He didn't look at Leon, instead staring at the earth and grime on his hands. They trembled, his cards tumbling through them to the floor. He made no moves to pick them up.

"Giving up…? No."

"Then make a move. But clean yourself up a little first."

"Clean? I'll never be clean again."

He pointed weakly at the gravestone behind him.

"He…he beat everything clean and good out of me. With his hands…feet…weapons…I lost it all. Blood and dirt all over me...I'll never be clean again. Never."

_Abused after all? It looks like I was right._

Leon didn't have an answer to that. At the moment, he didn't have an answer to anything at all.

Anima stepped into the church. The nun cowered behind the statue, terrified of this perverse apparition. The temperature plummeted several degrees as she walked nearer the altar. She smiled, showing all her teeth. The nun screamed and backed away as far as possible.

Anima merely laughed. She clapped her hands, and all of the candles went out.

"Not scared of the dark, are you?"

He laughed bitterly. He spoke slowly, as if wanting to torture himself with every word.

"Then she came. Transferred in from God knows where. She recognized me. It wasn't love at first sight…heh, far from it. Just friends…but I dared think that with her here I could be clean again."

He picked up his cards, staring blankly at the pictures.

"I thought wrong. I didn't know what I had…until I lost it."

"Give up, and you'll never find it. Believe me."

His eyes seemed to clear a little. "What do you know about this?"

"Everything. Duel, and maybe you'll understand why we fight."

_We? Bit of an odd guardian angel, aren't you?_

_Perhaps._

He nodded and drew his card. One of the nearby graves started glowing. A small, winged frog hopped out, taking its place on the field in defence position (100/100).

"Treeborn Frog returns to the field every turn, as long as I have no facedown cards on the field. But he won't be around for long, because I'm Tributing my amphibious friend to summon Cyber Ogre (1900/1200) in attack mode!"

The frog flapped its wings and flew upwards, disappearing into the darkened skies. A pillar of light shone down on his counterpart. He didn't smile, but Leon could feel a little more life was in him.

_Who knew duelling was so good for the soul?_

_Who indeed._

The ground began to shake. Suddenly, a giant arm plunged out of the earth, hauling a metallic monstrosity out of the earth. It bellowed at Leon, flexing its dirt-encrusted claws. Its red eyes gleamed hungrily.

"Next, I use a Field Spell- Gaia Power!"

The rain slowed to a trickle. The trees around the graveyard began to flourish, growing taller. Their leaves and branches thickened and looked visibly healthier. Soon, the battlefield was reminiscent of a tropical jungle.

"This card raises the attack power of all Earth creatures by five hundred points, despite weakening their defence power by four hundred. Understand?"

Leon nodded. The flora enveloped the ogre, burying it behind a curtain of green vegetation. The beast emerged, stronger then ever, with an odd glint in its scarlet eyes.

(Cyber Ogre: 2400/800)

"Attack, my Ogre! Destroy Breaker!"

The behemoth of steel ripped downward, slashing through Leon's monster like it was paper. Leon flinched.

(3200/4000)

"I end my turn."

Leon drew.

_Magic Cylinder…_

_Set it._

_Why are you helping me?_

_Can't you enjoy it while it lasts?_

"I place two cards facedown. That's it."

His opponent drew noiselessly. The faintest hint of a smile crossed his face.

"I activate Heavy Storm. Bid your facedown cards adieu."

"Jar of Greed activates in response- I get to draw a card."

Magic Cylinder was brushed aside as he drew. He looked at it with shock.

_It's that card!_

Anima sniffed the air, searching for her prey. She stepped closer to it carefully, taking care not to make a sound. She was guided by the sound of the nun's frantic breathing. She sniffed again, stepping carefully around. She crept closer and closer, sneaking up behind the nun.

She knelt down and tapped her on the shoulder. The nun screamed, but Anima clamped a hand down on her mouth. She grinned, though nobody could see it in the pitch-black darkness.

"Ah, ah, ah. I'm here to help, remember?"

The nun squirmed, trying to break lose. Anima tightened her grip. She hissed into the nun's ear.

"Life isn't fair, you know. Life's not some story where the good guys win and everybody lives happily every after. Trust me, I know."

She smiled again, extending her teeth to their fullest length. She forced her hood down, scratching them against her neck. She tried to move away, but Anima's hold was like iron.

"The _true _monsters are like me- real and _hungry. _You want to see what lies beyond? No? Too bad._"_

The nun's eyes went wide. Anima took hold of her neck, snapping it left and then right. It was over in a second as the body went limp in her arms.

She dropped it and stood, clapping her hands. The candles flickered, and then came back on. She looked up at the statue, noticing the goblet. She waved a hand at it. The goblet came loose from the statue's hands, and floated down gently to her hands. She admired it for a moment.

"Such a lovely little trinket."

She noticed a similar cup on the altar. It was filled with red liquid for communion. She took a little sip. A revolted expression crossed her face. She hurled the cup through one of the stained glass windows, shattering it into pieces.

"Pitiful imitation. No substitute for the real thing."

She noticed the nun's corpse. Or, more specifically, the blood coming from her neck. She licked her lips softly.

"Oh, you're such a bad girl, Anima. So very bad…it should be unfitting for a lady. Oh well…a girl has to drink, I suppose. Such is life."

She took a step towards the dead body, but a sound stopped her. She listened carefully.

"Your challenge ends here."

She sighed.

"Why must the good meals always be interrupted…?" she muttered to herself.

She moved over to where she'd smashed the stained glass. She leapt up, sitting on the broken sill. She could see the graveyard where Leon was duelling. A small smile crossed her blood-red lips.

"Let's see if he has what it takes to be mine."

Leon drew. He stared at the card he'd found in the gutter- Anima's little "present".

_Cyber Ogre be-gone, that looks like._

_It's risky._

_What isn't? All he has is his Ogre- if you can get rid of it, you're almost there._

_Why are you still helping me? _

_Is it so hard to believe that I want to be the one to break you? I'm not letting any psychotic, manically depressed, or any other shapes conjured up by your mind get to you first. I need you to win this. And that card is the best way to do it._

_Alright._

"I play the Spell card- Frenzied Beast Ritual!"

Anima giggled from her perch.

"I knew you were the one, Leon…make me proud, love."

A primal scream echoed around the graveyard as Leon activated the card.

"What have you done?"

Three cards ejected themselves from Leon's deck. He fished them out and held them up.

"Frenzied Beast Ritual requires me to send Beast-Type monsters from my deck to the Graveyard until their combined stars equal six or more. So I offer the three Nimble Momonga!"

The duel sprits leapt from their cards. Three streams of light emerged from the card and entered each of the spirits. They turned to face Leon.

"Boss…this power…"

"Are you sure about this, sir?"

He nodded. The three snapped a comic salute and turned to face his counterpart.

"Alright! Time to kick some butt!" Nick trilled.

"We are growing angry…" Smith growled.

"And you won't like us when we're angry!" Duke finished.

"MOMONGA POWER!!!"

His opponent blinked at the war cry. The three glowed until they were pure white, then combined into one, massive animal.

"Rise, Frenzied Silverback!" Leon called out.

A great, black gorilla leaped out of the light. True to its name, a long stripe of silver-coloured hair ran down its back. It clenched its ham-sized fists, the beast's muscles rippling. It beat its hands against its chest and roared at the top of its lungs. Despite his nonchalance, Leon could tell his counterpart was a little apprehensive. To tell the truth, so was he.

_That's some Spell card…_

_Of course. Hard to believe those rats could create THAT, isn't it?_

_They aren't rats…_

_Not anymore._

…

(2600/1900)

"Attack Cyber Ogre!"

His counterpart discarded one card from his hand as Leon's new monster charged. The two beasts wrestled, but Cyber Ogre soon gained the advantage. It thrusted the Silverback away.

"What happened?"

"By discarded another Ogre from my hand, the one on the field is protected. In addition, his power is raised by two thousand for the next battle."

(Cyber Ogre: 4400/800)

"I end my turn."

"I thought you might."

He drew.

"I activate Gaia Fusion!"

"What's that?!"

"Simple. I take Fusion-Material monsters for an Earth attribute Fusion monsters from my field and Graveyard, and remove them from play. Then I can summon the corresponding Fusion monster!"

The earth of the graveyard literally cracked open Another Cyber Ogre clawed its way out, grinning madly through its metal teeth. It merged together with the first in a filthy, grimy smog.

"I fuse my two Cyber Ogres, to create the Cyber Ogre 2!"

The massive beast emerged. It was considerably larger then the Silverback, almost as tall as the church. It let out a ferocious bellow, forcing Leon to cover his ears.

"Gaia Power boosts his strength by 500. Next, I activate Limiter Removal, which doubles his power! And if that wasn't enough, Cyber Ogre 2 also gains half the attack strength of the monster it attacks!"

(Cyber Ogre 2: 2600 + 500 x2 + 1300 7500)

Leon swallowed hard. "Oh bugger."

He had succeeded in his aim to rouse his younger self. Unfortunately, it looked as though it was going to cost him the game. He was acutely aware that the rain had stopped. He stared into the monstrosity's cold, lifeless eyes, trying to conceal the fear in his heart.

He'd lost this game.

"Attack!"

Anima knew something was wrong when she saw the monstrosity called Cyber Ogre 2. When she heard the cry to attack, she put two and two together. She frowned.

"His grief gives him power…how unexpected. It looks like I'll need to go deeper…"

She vanished.

Cyber Ogre 2 towered over Leon. Its metallic breath stank of oil and death. Its claws were outstretched, ready to gut his monster like a fish. Fire began building in each of its palms, fiery crimson orbs in the wet night. It charged at him, screaming for his blood.

Then, it stopped. Everything stopped.

Cyber Ogre 2 froze in mid-charge. His younger self was also frozen. There was no wind, no movement of the thin trees.

"What happened?"

_Lucky bastard..._

_Hey!_

"I happened, love. Aren't you glad to see me?"

Anima stepped out from behind the ogre. She gave him an inviting smile. Leon flushed.

"Very much so. But how did you do that?"

"Just a small trick, love. Did you enjoy my little present?"

"It's…an interesting card."

She laughed sweetly.

"You're quite the duellist…all your sides play well. But that one…he seemed different. What was different about him?"

"This is when it happened."

She stepped closer to him. "When what happened?"

"When I lost the light."

She gave him an odd look. "What do you mean?"

_Show her._

_What?_

_Guide your mind. Go back to Taylor._

_How?_

_Think about her._

_That's it?_

_That's it._

Leon concentrated. One of the stone doors from before appeared behind him. Like the rest, it was chipped and cracked. A feeling of fear seemed to radiate from it. It swung open, as if beckoning him. Anima linked arms with him.

"Show me your history, love. I'm interested to see what it is that gives you your strength."

_As am I, and our audience no doubt._

_Hmm. Glad to see you're with me._

_Through Hell and high water._

"I don't have much control of this. My mind seems to take me where _it _wants to go."

Anima chuckled. "So it would seem. Lead on, mind of Leon."

"Right…"

They stepped through the door. It slammed shut, and the scenery began to shift again. Leon felt a familiar nausea coming on.

"Close your eyes, love. This memory jumping can take its toll."

Leon shut his eyes as the shifting became more rapid. He listened, but he couldn't hear anything, not even Anima's breathing. He realized he was taking a risk by trusting her. He knew nothing about who- or _what-_ she was.

_What _is _she?_

_Bloodsucker. Lady of the night. Creature of the damned. Etcetera…_

_You mean she's a-_

_Aye. Couldn't you tell from the teeth?_

_I was trying not to think about it._

"It seems we've arrived, love. Where are we?"

Leon opened his eyes.

They were standing on a dingy fire escape. Stars twinkled above them, little pinpricks of light in the clear night sky. A dirty alley stretched below them, filled with waste and refuse. Footsteps sounded rapidly, growing louder and louder. They crouched down, watching closely.

"This is where I met her."

"Met who?"

"My light."

A young girl, fifteen or sixteen, ran into the alley. She was casually dressed in jeans and a shirt. The shirt was torn badly, as if she'd just been in a fight. Her face was marked with a black bruise. She doubled over, panting frantically. She glanced behind her, as if she was being followed. She sighed in relief.

"There you are!"

She froze. She looked around wildly, trying to see the source of the voice.

A man was walking towards her from behind. He was fat, heavily built and puffy. Veins stood out on his neck. He was wearing a leather jacket, and his head was shaven. His eyes were piggy, and he was squinting in the dim light. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. She spun round, her eyes wide.

Up on the fire escape, Leon stirred. Anima frowned and shook her head, motioning him to stay down. He sighed, knowing full well what was going to happen.

"Taylor…" he whispered.

For of course, that was who it was.

The man had adopted a threatening approach. He grabbed hold of her face, holding it close to his own. He grunted.

"Pretty ugly. But you could satisfy some desperate jerk, I bet. Maybe you should sell yourself on the street instead of schoolin'! Sure somebody'd take a slut like you."

He stroked a grimy finger against her face.

"Maybe I should take you for a test drive first…make sure you know how to screw, get my drift babe?"

She spat at him. His face darkened.

"Filthy slut!"

He slapped her hard, right across the face. Leon swore under his breath.

"I hate this watching."

"I do as well. But we're not going to change anything, so calm down."

The man held Taylor in a tight grip. She struggled, but he was too strong. He ran his hands down her body, pulling at her clothing. She yelped, but he clamped a hand over her mouth. She kicked out, catching him on the shin

The man grabbed hold of her roughly. He caught the tear in her shirt, ripping the rest of it apart brutally. She batted at him pitifully, but it was useless. He felt her naked breasts crudely with a grunt of satisfaction, ignoring her cries, confident that he was in complete control.

"No one can help you now, you whore." He hissed at her.

"Back away from her, and maybe I won't kill you."

The man looked around, dropping her. She got as far away as possible, into a corner of the alley. He sneered at the cloaked figure that had sneaked up on them.

"Thinkin' maybe I should pick on you instead, pretty boy?"

He nodded and slipped his hands from his pockets. He sighed, fingering the daggers he held concealed in his palms.

"I usually appal violence."

"Who's that?" Anima hissed under her breath.

Leon was quiet for a moment.

"Me."

She chuckled. "Interesting attire. Halloween costume?"

"Well, actually…"

_You're not serious._

_I am._

_You shouldn't need the secrecy. You're scary enough without them!_

Below, the man moved to punch the figure, but he was far too slow. His unknown opponent thrust the knives up crossways, wielding them like scissors. As the fat man stepped forward, the blades found themselves pressed against either side of his fleshy neck.

He froze. The figure stared at him with a look as cold as ice. He was wearing a white mask to hide his eyes, like one you would see at a masquerade ball.

"If I twitched my hands, your head would be rolling around the floor. Do you realize that?"

He snarled, but it was forced bravado. The figure rammed a knee up into his groin, as hard as he could. There was a sickening crack as the man's eyes went wild. A swift rabbit punch to the face knocked him unconscious.

Taylor was crouched in a corner like an animal, shivering with cold and fear. She crossed her arms over her bare chest as he turned around to look at her.

"Stay away from me!"

He moved slowly, so he didn't frighten her further. He took the mask off and pocketed it. He took off his long cloak and tossed it to her. She caught it, giving him a bemused look. He smiled slightly.

"Put that on. Somebody will be along to pick this filth up soon. I'll walk you home, if you like."

"I don't need your help!"

"Fine. Then I'll take my coat back and leave you here. Good luck getting home without attracting attention."

She swore at him. Police sirens began to blare in the distance.

"Are you coming?"

She nodded. He politely looked away as she fastened up the coat. Up on the fire escape, Leon did the same.

_Such a chaste knight. Aren't you even tempted to sneak a peek?_

_No._

_You wish that were true, don't you?_

A police car pulled up at one entrance to the alley. The pair hurried off the other way, into the dark and out of sight. Anima gave Leon an interested look.

"I'm curious. This can't be all there is to this, so what happened next?"

Leon's expression was unreadable.

"Let's find out."


	8. Chapter VII

"_Taylor? I don't recall the name."_

"_Doesn't ring any bells mate, sorry."_

"_That crazy bitch? I don't know where she is and I don't care!"_

"_Why the hell do you care?"_

"_You should let go- you don't look so good."_

"_It's none of your business"_

"_Does it matter?"_

"_I'm sorry…I can't talk about it."_

"_It's not normal, dude. Plenty of fish in the sea, you know?"_

"_Come on buddy, cheer up! I mean, she's a nice girl and all, but..."_

"_Give it up!"_

"_You won't change anything!"_

"_Stop clinging to ghosts!"_

Leon closed his eyes, willing the thoughts to go away. Seeing this again was dragging up bad memories. Memories he'd worked very hard to forget. It came as a lump in his throat, pricking at his eyes and drenching his soul.

He heard a snort to his left.

"So…do you do the running around on rooftops, saving-the-girls bit often?"

He glanced at his companion on this odious little venture. Anima was twirling a strand of her black hair around her finger, smiling at him. The look was once again eerily reminiscent of a cat stalking a mouse.

"Not really. I just saw what was going on and decided to stop it."

She laughed.

"Awfully brave for a little kid."

"I was not a-"

_Yeah, you were._

_What do _you_ know?_

_Everything that you do, and a lot more._

"So? Was that a fantasy too?"

"No. That actually happened. What we're seeing right now are my memories."

"You mean your girlfriend really was almost-"

"Yeah. But she's not my girlfriend."

_Damn straight she isn't._

_One more word and I'll-_

_You'll what? Slit yourself?_

Anima gave him a puzzled glance.

"Then why were you wearing the costume?"

"Circumstances. I was on my home from a party."

She looked disappointed.

"Oh…and here I thought you were being a superhero."

He snorted derisively.

"As if I could ever be that."

Anima chuckled.

"Oh, look. I think the next act's about to begin!"

"So it would seem…"

_Got any popcorn?_

_What?_

_Err…never mind. _

They were standing on a rooftop. Following the younger selves of himself and Taylor, they'd been led across the city through rat-infested streets and decrepit, rundown buildings. Eventually, they arrived at a smallish home on the outskirts of the city. Anima had projected them both onto the roof of Taylor's house, so they could eavesdrop more easily on the pair.

His younger self was unusually calm, as if he'd just been showering instead of threatening to decapitate someone. Taylor, for all her verbal bravado, looked visibly shaken by what had just happened. She stood apart from her unusual rescuer, clearly not trusting him.

_She didn't have any reason to. _He mused.

_I think she just doesn't trust people, generally._

_That's a bit harsh…_

_So is life. But you know all about that, don't you?_

The door of the house opened. A large gentleman stepped out. He possessed a fiery crimson beard and hair, brighter then that of his daughter's. He frowned on seeing Leon, but didn't say anything. Taylor ran to him and gave him a hug. She quietly explained to him what had happened. His face burned red with anger as he listened, until it matched the colour of his beard. Seeing this, his younger counterpart tried to slip away.

"Wait."

He looked around. Taylor's father wore an odd expression on his face. It was almost like he was grateful, but he didn't know how to show it.

"Thank you…for saving my daughter's life. If you ever need anything…"

He nodded. He turned his back on them and walked away, without looking back.

"Are you saying he just jumped in to help you?" Taylor's father whispered to her.

She realized that she was still wearing his coat. She ran a hand over its soft material and smiled.

"Yeah. I think…I think he's a hero. He's not like us."

However cliché it was, it made the real Leon smile.

Do you often wish that that were true? 

_It isn't like that. People give that title to those they wish they could be like._

_Then what part of you did Taylor want to be like?_

_You know I can't answer that._

_Can't you?_

Anima laughed.

"How little they know."

She turned round to look at Leon.

"So that's where you met her?"

He nodded slowly.

"It's a very touching story. You were quite the knight in shining armour. I find it hard to believe that this is all there is though…Leon? What's wrong, love?"

His body was shaking. His face was a portrait expression of confusion and despair.

"Do you…really want to know the rest, Anima?"

She nodded. "Why wouldn't I?"

"What comes next is the deepest, darkest time of my life. This is when I…"

"When you what?" Anima pressed him.

A wall suddenly shattered, deep inside his heart. He closed his eyes, hiding the tears.

"When I died inside."

"Yes." She said instantly, far quicker then normal. "Tell me what happened."

Without warning, without call, the scenery began to fade away under their feet. Stone and mortar crumbled away to nothingness. The streetlights began to dim and darken, merging with the black sky of midnight overhead. The stars began to go out, covered by an invisible screen, blinking off, one by one. The darkness enveloped him like a blanket, cloaking him in a supernatural shroud. The blackness was absolute; he could no longer see Anima, or anything around him. He didn't feel the cold of the wind's bite, or the pain in his body, or any sensation of touch. Nor did he feel afraid.

He couldn't feel anything at all. The worst thing was, this feeling was very familiar.

Memories of the past began welling up inside him, swelling like the seeds of a flower beginning to bloom. It should have hurt him, but it didn't. These memories had already caused all the damage they were ever going to do. He didn't even need to think to bring the recollections to life. His mind bent to his will unconsciously, projecting his pain onto the darkness. Images began flashing- in his mind, in front of his eyes, all around him- he couldn't tell. He someone knew that Anima could see what he could, without having to ask.

"You see, Anima? This is what I hide. This is what I keep behind locked doors and closed gates. This…this is my pain."

He heard Anima's voice, muffled and barely audible.

"Show me, Leon. Show me everything."

His mind responded without him needing to ask it. He saw his memories come to life before his eyes. They flooded out of him, leaving him feeling empty, like a hollow shell. His body shook involuntarily as he spoke, narrating the events. He could see his words come to life, his memories weaving a web of despair around him. His voice was flat, listless.

"After what you already saw, I didn't see Taylor again for months. I didn't purposefully avoid her…but I didn't look for her, either"

"I see. Go on."

"I eventually saw her again, about two and a half years ago. She transferred into my school. I'm not sure if she recognized me or not- it was so long ago. But as time went by…we grew closer."

"How close?"

He paused. The silence seemed deafening amid the darkness.

"On her side, it was just friendship. But on mine…"

"Ah. Such is the infatuation of youth."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Maybe."

"Unrequited love doesn't create all this by itself. Can you skip to the important parts?"

"One day…she just vanished. Completely."

"Vanished? What are you talking about?"

"She disappeared off the face of the earth. Nobody knew what was wrong with her, or if they did, they weren't willing to talk about it. Over time, it became clear that she wasn't coming back. So everybody just dealt with it, and moved on."

"Everybody except me, that is."

"Why?" Anima asked, puzzled.

"I…I don't know. I've asked myself that question every night before I sleep. I still don't have an answer. But I…all I know, is that I couldn't just forget that she ever existed. The way everybody else did."

"So what was wrong with her?"

There was no answer.

"Leon? Are you there?"

Still nothing.

"Are you alright?"

"Fear." He whispered softly. "The spider's web."

"What?"

"Clinical depression and agoraphobia. Total, paralysing fear. She became confined to her home. Indefinitely."

Anima was shocked. Leon was speaking without feeling or emotion. It really did seem to her that something was missing, deep inside him. But she couldn't reach it. It was locked behind walls built of pain and self-loathing. Walls that he couldn't- or wouldn't- break down.

"What caused it?"

"I don't know. All of a sudden, she just broke down. Something snapped inside her. Life became too much. It drove her over the edge."

He let out a disgusted laugh.

"And I couldn't stop it. Maybe I even helped it. Maybe I was the _cause_ of it!"

"How could you be?"

"How could I _not_ be?"

"You're not making any sense!"

"Sense? _Sense!? _I'm sitting here in the darkness of my mind and soul, talking to a figment of my imagination, and you talk about _sense?_"

_Touché. It is a story worthy of the theatre. Don't you agree?_

_Not now. Any other time, for however long you want. But not now!_

_Fine. I'll just be a silent witness, for now…we'll talk later._

_Much later._

Anima didn't respond, but Leon knew she was urging him to go on.

"When it became clear that…that she wasn't coming back, I made a choice. I chose to try and find her. However long it took, and however hard it might be. I _swore_ that I would find her."

"But it wasn't that simple, was it Leon?"

"No. I tried finding out what had happened, but people had no idea. And those that did weren't talking to me about it. They became suspicious of me- some went so far as to call me a stalker. From their perspective, that must have been what it looked like."

"What did you do?"

"I put a mask over my true feelings. I hid what I felt, so that people wouldn't know."

_With a little assistance, I might add._

A deep note of bitterness entered his voice.

"I began treating people like crap. Those little kids…gossiping about homework, teachers, life- all the petty little things that they _thought_ made life hard. I avoided them, at every chance I had."

"They had no _idea _what real hardship- real _pain-_ is like…not like she and I did. They couldn't have understood what it was like for us."

"So you went looking for her…did you find her?"

"Can't skip that far ahead, love. I went looking, but…"

"But what?"

"I had no success. As more and more time went by, I gradually became obsessed with finding her. Even though I didn't even know why I was doing it."

"What?"

He ignored her. He clasped his hands, as if in prayer. He felt the grief clawing at his insides, scraping everything until it was raw and bleeding.

"I fell into a dark place…and I couldn't find the light. My reality, my dreams… they almost became one. Every night, I dreamt of the day I'd find her. In many ways, she became my life. This image appeared in my head, of me being this white knight who'd save the girl and live happily ever after. But it was just a fantasy."

"Why?"

"Because whatever I may have felt for her, she never expressed anything like that for me. She knew exactly how I felt, but she…didn't return it."

"Did I go looking for her because she needed my help, or because I just needed to see her again? Was it truly for her sake, or was it just that I was too selfish to leave her alone? Did I want to help her because I thought she needed it…or was it just to stop the pain _I _felt?"

"I don't know, Leon."

"Neither do I."

He looked down at himself. He hissed derisively, like an animal.

"The image of the knight doesn't fit me at all. Look at me- I'm black and filled with sin and stain. How could I _ever_ get the girl and live happily ever after if she doesn't even want me? I didn't even think of what would happen after I found her. I was obsessed with something I knew I couldn't reach, but even though I knew it, I just couldn't give it up."

His hands dropped to his sides.

"What a fool I am."

"Why is this place so cold and dark, Leon? What did you do that caused it?"

"I starting… suppressing things. Emotions. That's why everything's behind closed doors here- because I don't feel or remember them. I became as cold and frozen as ice…or at least that was my aim. I shut out the pain completely. I didn't want to feel anything, because I knew that if I did, it would probably kill me."

Do you actually think that you were able to do that all by yourself? 

_No. But it's not worth telling her the truth._

_Not yet, anyway._

"A couple of times, I had the option of being with someone else, somebody who was interested in me. It was the option of being normal. But I turned them all down. Turned them down for someone who didn't return my feelings at all. I became numb- not feeling anything pure, not wanting to. I locked it all away in my head."

Tears were falling from his eyes.

"Just a broken kid who couldn't let go of the past."

"Did you find her?"

There was a long silence.

"Eventually, I did. A year after I started looking…it's so ironic. It was on Valentine's Day. I found her home, and knocked on her door. She opened it, just as if nothing were wrong with her at all."

He paused again.

"I finally found what I'd lost."

"And what was that?"

Leon didn't respond. Anima paused, then changed the subject

"I'm glad your story had a happy ending. Though something's not right…it shouldn't be so cold and dark in here, if-"

"No. It didn't have a happy ending."

"But you just said she got better!"

"Better? Not quite. I stayed with her for a while. She told me that she was having problems with her recovery, that she couldn't talk to anyone else but me…not even her family. She was too terrified. Too confused. Because of that, I became her sole contact with the world. I used to tell her stories…fairy tales. Secrets about me that no one else knew. Normal things."

"Oh?"

"I used to tell her everything. But even after that- even after weeks of me being her sole companion- she still didn't return my feelings."

"Did you expect her to?"

"I…I don't know."

_Liar._

"What else did you do?"

He smiled.

"I taught her how to play Duel Monsters. I used to stay with her for hours- working on her deck with her, teaching her strategy, and duelling her."

"Why?"

"Just having contact with her again was a wonderful feeling. So I did everything I could to drag the visits out, just so I could be with her for longer. And eventually, she got back to where she was before. Back to being…"

"Being normal?"

He nodded. "Yes. She's been back for about six months, thanks in part to me. She's fine. But…"

"But?"

"But I'm still as screwed up and rotten as ever."

"What are you talking about?" Anima probed, curious.

"My obsession with her hasn't gone away in the slightest. No matter however much I will it to…or however well I hide it. The mask hasn't come off, either- I'm still alone among company. Nobody can see the real me anymore, because I don't let anything out, and I don't let anyone in. She still…still doesn't return my feelings. But even now…I still can't feel what I do for anyone else, whoever they are. And I can't let go of this feeling, even though part of me wants me to."

"Why?"

"Because I still see her smiling face before I sleep each night, and I still rip myself apart asking why I fought so hard for nothing. And because I still carry the tiny hope…the tiny _dream_ that she will…"

He trailed off. His voice refused to work any longer. He forced the last words out with extreme difficulty.

"That is my story. And I've spent my life ever since this started, trying to find out why I'm here now."

Anima made a noise of understanding. She mulled his words over for a few moments.

"You love her, don't you?"

Leon did not answer. He just sat there in the darkness of his mind, trying to find the answer to a question that he'd carried for as long as he could remember. As long as he'd known Taylor.

_Do_ _you?_


	9. Chapter VIII

The cold permeated his being. The question ripped through his heart like an icicle, splitting it in half. It explored his body in the blink of an eye, causing his hands to tremble and freezing the blood in his veins. Despair welled up inside him, coating his throat, lungs, and stomach in a black ooze, drying up his insides. The tears leaked cold from his eyes, worsening the chill on his face. He curled up into a ball, wrapping his arms tight around him as he rocked back and forth. He tried to scream, but his voice wouldn't work. He couldn't think, couldn't feel. He could only hear the same words running themselves through his head like frigid needles, creating mental agony in his mind and soul.

Do you love her? 

_I-_

_Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?_

_Stop! _

_Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?_

_STOP!_

His mind tore him apart, setting every nerve in his body on fire with icy pain. Vomit welled up in his throat, choking him. He collapsed, writhing and gasping under the strain. He bit his lip as hard as he could, tasting salty blood as he tried to shield himself from the pain the question was causing. The words kept repeating themselves, in different voices and tones. His mother's light tones, his father's scorn. Anima's curiosity. Taylor's pity.

His own disgust.

_Ah, I see now. You don't, do you? That's what you're trying to hide, isn't it? You don't care about her at all. You just want to stop your own pain, you pathetic, selfish, weak little boy!_

_No…_

_No? You have the gall to deny it?_

_I…_

_I see. You don't know. And that's what frightens you, isn't it?_

The pain grew stronger as he spoke, as if the words were daggers in his heart. The darkness extended its arms to him, beckoning him into blessed sleep. What was causing this he didn't know. He didn't care. Like a wild animal, he fled willingly to it, seeking its numbing powers to ward away the uncertainty, fear, and doubt that rampaged through him. He slipped into its embrace, letting the cold shadows of his mind take him where they would.

As he did, three words floated to the surface. One final question for him.

_Am I right?_

Blackness engulfed his world.

Anima had listened to Leon tell his stories with glee. She was curious by nature, wanting to know the innermost thoughts and feelings of the few people she met. Of course, most of the time that was just so she could use those secrets for her own sake…but that didn't bother her unduly. Very little did nowadays. The darkness didn't scare her in the slightest, since she'd long forgotten what it felt like to feel the sun on her skin. She was at home there, just as it was at home in her.

She didn't feel any pity for him, or feel sorry for him. It was his problem alone. She stood, stretching slightly to work the stiffness away. She twirled a strand of her ebony her around her finger, reflecting on the story. She sniffed the air like a wolf, judging Leon's position by his scent. As she inhaled it, a thin smile crossed her blood-red lips.

"Jasmine…how very appropriate."

She let out a long laugh as something clicked into place. She began feeling her way through the shadows like a blind person, occasionally pausing to sniff the air to check she was going the right way.

Leon's body was motionless when she reached it. It was laying facedown, freezing cold to the touch. She sat down beside it, toying with her hair again. She reached out and ran a finger through his hair. It was coarser then hers, but the raven shade was identical to her own. She propped up his head with her finger, and spoke quietly to him.

"Black on black… more alike then you know."

She listened intently, as if expecting a response. She stayed like that for a long time, enjoying the quiet. She toyed with a string of her hair, wrapping it around her finger. She unhooked Leon's deck from his belt and flicked through it, trying to discern its common goal.

Keeping it in her hands, she stood up. Her face wore an odd expression as she looked at his still body.

"You really didn't know. You fled into your deepest subconscious rather then give me an answer. Not that you had an answer to give me… but maybe you'll find it there. If you make it, that is. I'll see you at home, my love."

She blew him a kiss. Still holding his deck, she vanished. Leon's body began to sink into the shadows as if they were quicksand. It didn't take long. Soon no trace was left to show that he'd ever existed at all.

Leon seemed to float, his body hanging in empty air. The pain left him as quickly as it had appeared. He kept his eyes closed; afraid to find out what new terror his mind had wished upon him.

_Coming in here was more dangerous then I thought. _He mused.

"I did tell you to read the script. But no, no! The would-be knight blunders ahead on his raven charger, heedless of all that lies before him. You're a bloody disgrace to the industry, you know that?"

Leon almost lost it right then and there. He'd gone into his mind to try and set his problems right, and all he'd gotten was the worst memories of his entire life played out over and over again. And now-

"You look a little angry. Want a cookie?"

_And now I have that bloody squatter talking to me in my own voice. Wonderful._

"It is, isn't it?"

_Get out! Get out of my head!_

"Not going to happen. Your mind's actually quite comfortable, you know that?"

Leon was breathing hard. Keeping his eyes closed, he dug his fingernails into his palms, drawing blood as he took out his anger on his flesh.

"Stop it with the angsty cutting. Remember, children might be watching. Not that it's anything new…"

Stop it! How do you even know? 

"Oh come on. Your arms practically _reek_ of it. How many blades did you use?"

Leon sighed.

There's no point in arguing with you, is there? 

"Not unless you see the point in arguing with yourself."

What do you mean? 

"What do I mean? Hmm…what _do_ I mean? Well…all I'm saying is, you know those yin-yang symbols with the light and dark halves? With you…let's just say the circle's not so balanced."

Clear as crystal, aren't you? 

It laughed. The sound was high and cold echoing from all sides. It was a twisted and perverted imitation of his own, like a fun mirror at an amusement park. It quietened, slowly and softly, until it was just a light giggle.

"Open your eyes."

He kept them closed.

"Why should I? It's not as if I'm going to like what I see."

His voice laughed again. Leon shuddered involuntarily at the sound. He sounded so _cruel_. It was the laugh of someone who didn't care about anyone or anything at all. Someone who'd plunge the world and everyone on it into hell to get what he desired.

_Highly fitting that it's mine, then. _

"Good answer!"

Leon scowled. _Where are we?_

"Your deepest, darkest subconscious. The absolute core of your mind. My home, in other words. But enough chitchat. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

_Why?_

"Our audience is growing bored of all this talk. They want to see action! You know, bloodied swords, spilling of entrails, a hero's dying words…"

_And you are determined to provide it?_

It laughed again. Leon winced.

"What kind of villain would I be if I didn't? Now open your eyes, like a good sir knight."

_Why?_

"You'll thank me later. Call it amateur divination."

_In for a penny, in for a pound…_

He opened his eyes.

Anima leaned back in her chair and yawned lazily. She'd built a room here for herself a long time ago, just as a place to relax when she wasn't touring Leon's mind. She flicked through her stolen prize again, examining his cards closely. She shuffled the deck, dealing it out in patterns on the floor. As she picked them up, she cut open her finger on one of them. She didn't curse or react as somebody normal would. Instead, she put the cards on a nightstand and stared at her injured finger hopefully. No blood was trickling from it. She sighed, disappointed. She flicked some imaginary dirt from her gown and stared into the burning fireplace.

"It seems the pieces are finally beginning to move. Soon you'll be mine."

A desolate and barren landscape greeted Leon's eyes. For as far as the eye could see, there existed only ash and withered life. Dark clouds billowed overhead, adding to the despair of the scene. Black sand and gravel crunched under his feet. Far off in the distance, a massive volcano stood, disguised in a thick shroud of choking smog. Small plants and weeds tried to grow under his feet, but they were dying before his eyes.

A man stood with his back to Leon, a little way off. He wore a long, black leather coat that reached down to his ankles. His hair was black and heavily streaked with scarlet, dark crimson highlights matching the tone of his outfit. Loose black trousers covered his legs, stretching down into a pair of black boots. He seemed to favour his left side, as if his right were injured in some way. Despair seemed to curl off this man like the fumes from the volcano, which his gaze was fixed on.

Leon approached him slowly. The man stiffened as he heard the footsteps, but didn't turn around. As Leon moved within earshot, he spoke. His voice was deep and croaky, as if his throat had been damaged in some way. He spoke with obvious difficulty.

"You…must be Cihnos. Am I right?"

Leon spoke guardedly. The man was giving nothing away, and he didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.

"Yes. How did you know that?"

The man laughed. It too sounded damaged. In fact, Leon noticed that that this man seemed to be almost crippled entirely.

"I once knew many things. Or…I thought I did. Now I'm…not so sure. I can't remember your other name…can you remind me?"

"It's Leon. And you would be?"

The man coughed heavily. Leon winced at the noise.

"Ah, Leon…the lion's mark. It's been quite a while since I gave anybody my name…not even sure I remember it myself. But if you are in search of something to call me, my young friend, then the name…Angel, should suffice."

The clouds thickened overhead as he spoke. They seemed to swell, as if yearning to explode and drench the world in tears. It seemed as though they were going to burst at any moment.

Surprised, Leon questioned him. "Angel? That's an odd name."

The man shrugged. He did not turn around, keeping his gaze fixed on the raging tower of magma in the distance.

"It is a suitable name for one such as I, since it seems I shall be joining that order soon."

Leon felt shame wash over him. "I'm sorry."

The man waved him away. "Don't be. Truly… I died a long time ago. The flesh is merely a shell. You'd do well to remember that."

"Why?"

He fell silent. Leon merely stood and watched patiently. After a while, he mumbled something to himself, too quietly for Leon to hear.

"Angel?"

He turned around. "Yes?"

_Now that's a face only a mother could love…_

Leon nearly screamed. Angel's face, though youthful, was horribly disfigured by weeping cuts and bruises. He was as white as a ghost. His right eye was missing, the socket unnaturally sunken and sealed shut by a long gash in the skin. His left eye was swollen and veined, blurry with tears. It was a ghoulish sight.

Leon dropped his eyes to the ground, shocked. Angel laughed cynically.

"I'm sorry. I've grown used to this…I forget how ugly I am. It's probably best if you don't look at me. I don't want to give you any more nightmares."

Leon nodded.

"Why am I here, Angel? What is it I'm supposed to do?"

"Do? I don't think you're supposed to do anything. Did you find what you're looking for yet?"

"What _am_ I looking for?"

He shrugged. "You're asking me?"

Leon put his head in his hands. "Yes. I don't know what I'm supposed to do here…I'm just getting tossed all over the place! My mind is toying with me, flinging me back and forth like a doll. I came in here to get rid of this…this thing that's hurting me. But I can't…I don't know where to look. And I got caught up in looking for the answers for something else, but I'm just asking the same questions over and over and I don't know what to do!"

Angel listened gravely. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a note. He handed it to Leon shakily. He noticed the man's hands were covered in scars and other injuries, bright red lines criss-crossing the skin.

"That will tell you how to reach the finish. I have no advice to give you, for one in my position has no right to do so. But keep this in mind."

"What?"

"Something's missing within you- I can see it. There's…a hole, where your heart should be. I know what that's like, Cihnos. An eternity ago, I loved someone. I poured my heart and my soul into keeping her safe, so we could be together forever. But God didn't like that…he hated me, you see. So…he took her light away from me. I fell into the darkest hell imaginable…that's the source of my pain. My endgame is approaching, Cihnos, as is yours. It won't be long now…before I'm just a memory. Though I am damned for what I have done, I hope… to see her face one last time… before I rot in His dungeons. But I can't see it. I can't see anything now."

He coughed heavily. His face was a portrait of sadness.

"I couldn't protect her.

"I don't know if Fate will be kinder on you then it was on me. But I hope so. For your sake, I hope so. You're trying to seal up your abyss…just make sure it doesn't do the same to you. Something really bad's going to happen to you…I can see it. The question is…will you be able to go on after it happens? "

Leon did not answer. A door appeared in the air behind him, ready to lead him back to the rest of his mind.

"Looks like our time is up."

He nodded. He turned and pushed on the door, letting it swing open on invisible hinges.

"Cihnos."

He turned. "Yes?"

He smiled grimly. "Never enter my mind again."

Leon only had time to think _What? _before the world exploded. Angel vanished as the volcano erupted, violently blasting forth a stream of hot ash and lava over the blackened earth. The clouds split open, raining forth blood and rain upon him. As he shielded himself, the stale earth cracked open, revealing a gaping fissure half a mile long. A great, black hand emerged, lunging towards him. It grabbed him in a crushing grip, squeezing the air from his lungs. It pulled him down into the fissure, dropping him into the bottomless shadows. He screamed, but the sound barely left his lips before his head slammed against something hard. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Storm clouds began to gather outside Anima's room. She rose and slipped outside, standing on a small balcony. A thick forest of trees stretched out before her, like a silent army in the darkness. They were unmoved by the wind, locked together, links in a natural chain. Despite this, they seemed to wither, as if some parasite was gnawing away at them. Lighting struck dangerously close to them, almost setting the forest alight. She smiled, enjoying the scene for a while, revelling in the wrath of Mother Nature.

She headed back into her room. The architecture was sickeningly extravagant, but it suited her tastes. A giant, four-poster bed dominated the centre of the room. The bedposts were carved in the shape of small, horned demons. A black, gothic chandelier lit the room, its arms twisted and writhing like eels. Even the light given off from it was eerie, casting long shadows across the floor. The cream wallpaper was littered with the same design repeated over and over again, a heart intertwined with a star. She traced the shape with one long finger lovingly, gazing at the fall wall. She giggled like a schoolgirl at the sight.

"Another day, another love, another trophy."

Stretched across the wall was a row of naked bodies. All male, they hung from the ceiling. None of them were breathing. Rusty manacles held their arms in place, cutting into their flesh and washing the chains in blood. They wore ecstatic, half-crazed grins on their faces, as if they'd died in the throes of joy. The men were horrifically savaged- some had had their stomachs simply slashed open, entrails spilling onto the ground. Some held their arms at unnatural angles, their shoulders dislocated thanks to the chains. Others were covered in nicks, cuts, and sores. The wounds were infected, blood and green-yellow pus oozing from them in equal measures. They were withered husks, their skin a rotting grey. Their throats were punctured, blood dripping down their necks and across their chests.

The last body in the line was different. He was clothed, and very much alive. He too hung from chains, but these were fresh. He only seemed to be sleeping. She looked at her latest prize with glee.

Leon just hung there, unconscious.

She licked her lips in anticipation of what was to come. She would enjoy breaking him.

She stepped close and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Wake up, my love."

He stirred. His eyes jerked open, flicking madly. They widened as he saw her.

"A…Anima?! What's going on here?"

She held a finger to his lips. At a gesture of her mind, his chains clicked open. He dropped into her arms like dead weight. She helped him over to the bed. He sat down on it, looking up at her.

"Why did you bring me here?"

She sat down next to him.

"Can I ask you something? Something about your friend?"

He nodded slowly.

"You said you still dreamed that she'd want you someday. But even if she did, what would happen? You'd get married, have kids, live like everyone else in the world? Somehow I doubt that's what you want. Would it even make you happy?"

_She's not the first person to ask you that. Be careful._

"No. That's not what I want."

She looked at him perceptively. "What _do_ you want?"

He let out a hollow laugh. "I don't know. Isn't that the problem?"

_Right in one._

"Look at me."

He looked. Her eyes were green in the light. Her black hair was down around her shoulders. The artificial light illuminated her skin, making it shine. His eyes seemed to be fixed on her. He flushed as she gave him an endearing smile.

"Tell me the rest of your story."

He hesitated.

_Careful._

_Always my guardian angel, aren't you? _

_Enjoy it while it lasts._

She moved closer to him. "Tell me everything."

"Can I trust you?"

She laughed, a light, sweet sound.

"Me more then anyone else in here."

His hesitation became weighed against his desire to talk. To let somebody share in his pain. He could trust Anima- he didn't have to risk her telling anyone else. And she seemed so kind, so beautiful… it was no contest.

"What's really wrong with you, Leon?"

He spoke quietly, even though there was no one else around to hear. He clasped his hands together, staring at them

"I don't what I can do about this…about her. She's moved on, she's fine. And I'm still stuck, stuck in the same place I've been for two years. If I bring it back up again, I'm dragging up painful memories for her. I don't have the right to make things worse for her. But if I don't…never mind."

"Tell me."

He looked at her. Her eyes seemed to brim with compassion. He sighed.

"When she came back, I made a promise. I promised that I would never do anything to jeopardise that friendship again. But it's put me in an impossible situation. If I tell her how I feel, I'd drive her away. But the state I'm in right now…I want it to end. But I can't see the finish. I can't see the happy ending anymore. Can't see the point where she hugs me and tells me…"

Anima leaned forward and hugged him. Surprised, he pulled away from the contact. She let go, realising his discomfort.

"Sorry. I just don't like people touching me." Leon said apologetically.

To his surprise, she snickered.

"You're right. You aren't a hero. You aren't a knight. You aren't special. You aren't even _good._ Some people are like that. I see it in you. _That's _why you don't like people touching you- because they don't understand you. They aren't like you. And they never will be."

He smiled ruefully.

"What did you see…when you looked at me?"

"Darkness."

He flinched. Anima frowned.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so blunt. I-"

"No. It's ok. I figured out a long time ago that I'm not the brightest star in the sky. Never wanted to be, really."

"Why?"

He closed his eyes. "If you stand in the light, people see you. And you're forced to act a certain way to stay there. That feeling…the feeling that you had to act a certain way to be accepted…I hated it. Better by far to skulk in the shadows. At least there, people don't care what I'm doing."

She wore a knowing smile on her face.

"Can I ask you something else?"

He nodded.

"Could Taylor ever make you happy? Really, really happy Leon? She doesn't even want you, from what I know. You've dedicated yourself to something that doesn't exist. You could be with me, if you wanted it. I could make the pain, the fear, the loneliness go away. If only you'd let me."

Leon didn't respond. Her eyes blazed with anger and frustration.

"We both live in the dark, Leon. We're perfect for each other. You just can't admit it. But you don't have a choice now. You're going to have to pick one- your mousy little friend, or me. Which is it going to be?"

He started to respond, but she held a finger to his lips.

"Let me finish. I want you. And I know you're attracted to me. I can _feel_ it. I think you're just too scared to let go. You think that no one's ever going to love you again, that you won't be close to anyone again. But you can be close to me. Closer then you've ever been to anyone."

She began to whisper seductively in his ear.

"You might actually…_enjoy me._ _They_ certainly did…before I broke them."

Leon knew this wasn't right. Half of him screamed to resist, the other half desperate for her. A war was fought inside him, beginning and ending in an instant. A war for control of his heart.

It was no contest.

She laid her hands on his shoulders, massaging him gently as she whispered sensually to him.

"Nobody would know, Leon. Nobody would _care."_

She slipped the jacket from his shoulders, then his shirt, revealing the scars from his previous duels. He made no effort to stop her. Her voice was already entrancing him, making everything else seem trivial in comparison. She traced a finger along his chest, around the ugly wound left by Remalis the Gold.

He could hear her words in his mind, seducing him. Beckoning him towards a void.

_Be with me._

_Don't you want to be mine?_

She began singing a tune quietly. It had no words that he could hear, just a lovely melody. Her voice was hypnotic, turning his mind blank as he became ensnared in its web. All knowledge, all thought, all memory left him. All he knew was Anima. He let her hands run over his injuries, let her touch him. She took him in her arms, holding him close to her. She pressed her lips against his mouth. He could feel himself being drained away, losing himself as he stared into her entrancing eyes. But he didn't care. Here in her arms, he felt euphoria. He felt safe here. Here is where he could stay.

"Don't you want me?"

He opened his mouth to respond. One simple word. That was all it would take, then he could rest. Forever. He knew that. Every feeling in him screamed for him to say it. But something stopped him.

What the hell are you doing? I don't want to have to fight anymore…I want to give in… Then why did you bother to come here? Why do I have to explain myself? You don't. But if you give in now, I've won. Doesn't that bother you? 

_No. All I want is for somebody to care about me again. Is that so much to ask?_

Idiot. You think Anima does? 

_I know it._

Perhaps. But does she? 

As the voice spoke, another presence brushed against Leon's mind. It was familiar to him, reassuring and unthreatening. The presence seemed to bring him out of his trance, returning his world to clarity. It did not speak, but seemed to pass a word on to him.

Leon… 

He looked around for the source of the presence. When he saw it, he smiled, unsurprised. To one side, out on the balcony, a wretched expression on her face, stood Taylor.

She was insubstantial, like a ghost. She was dressed as Leon had last seen her, before he began this mental quest. She was sickly and pale, the glow bleached from her skin by anorexia. Her glasses were askew on her thin nose. Her red hair was tied back in a ponytail. She was crying quietly, watching Anima crawl all over him. In truth, she looked like a little girl. For all the special qualities he'd ascribed to her, she was no different then anyone else. As he looked into her eyes, Leon saw that. But that didn't matter. Seeing her this way- plainly- reminded him of how special she really was. How special she was to _him._

She was only whispering, but Leon heard every word she said. And each word sent a spike through his heart.

_If this is what you truly want, then I will not stop you. But if it isn't, then I will wait. I know your pain, Leon. I'm sorry about this. But now is the time to choose- die and be free of the pain, or live and fight the sorrow. _

She started to disappear. Leon called out to her, shame coursing through his veins like black sludge. But she didn't answer. She just faded away to nothingness.

_See you soon._

Anima stroked his face. But the sensation disgusted him, rather then the bliss he'd felt moments before. He tried moving, but Anima had his arms and legs pinned down. Her body felt cold against him, repulsive. He could still feel her song in his head, but it brought him no pleasure. She smiled, extending her teeth to their full length. He looked around wildly, but saw no way out. As she bent over him, an idea came. He tensed his fists.

You sure about this? 

_Nope. Never sure about anything these days._

He turned his head to one side, deliberately extending his neck for her. She leaned down, as if to deliver the softest of kisses. But she made the mistake of releasing his arms. He brought them up swiftly before she could realise her mistake, slamming them into her chin. As her head jerked back, he whispered to her.

"Sorry."

**WHAM!**

Leon seized the opportunity, slammed a fist into her face. She cursed and fell backwards, her head hitting one of the demon-shaped bedposts with a _crack_. He watched her closely, but she didn't move. She was unconscious. He stood up, panting for breath.

Wouldn't a stake have been more appropriate? 

_I do not like being manipulated. _

_Manipulation wouldn't have been so bad in this case. There are worse ways to die…_

_I have no plans of dying anytime soon. You should remember that._

He got the feeling that, whatever the voice was, it was grinning.

_Real badass, aren't you? In any case, it's time to go._

He slipped his black shirt and coat back on. He traced the rips and tears in the jacket, remembering the source of each one. Each battle. As he did, something became clear in his head.

Me doing this…coming in here…it's pointless, isn't it? Why do you say that? 

_What happens when this is all over? I won't have changed anything…_

_Maybe. It depends._

_On what?_

_On what you mean when you say "over"._

He noticed his deck was sitting on the table. He pocketed it after checking everything was still here.

_You're becoming quite the hero after all. Things are looking up, no? _

He started to agree. But before he could get the words out, he was cut off.

"Agh!"

A hand was gripping his throat from the back, sharp nails digging into his skin. The clutch was so tight, he could barely breathe.

"A…Anima!?" he choked out.

"Of course, _love_. Did you think you could rid of me that easily?"

"I live in hope." His words held a bite of sarcasm.

She tightened her grip. Leon actually _felt_ the bones shifting, threatening to snap. He froze, trying not to move a muscle. Anima growled, maintaining the hold.

"You think you can resist me? I walk in a world you can't even begin to imagine. I watch the skies burn and the heavens bleed. And you? You're just a human, love."

"So?"

"How do you even function? You have no control over what you are and what you do. Your entire race is just a slave to _emotion._ Is that what the poets drone on and on about?"

Leon lost his flippancy. "It's our world. We make the best out of it we can."

She snorted. "Pah. I know that world, Leon. And you want to know something? I don't want anything to do with it! Everybody's killing, stuffing themselves with fat and grease everyday, filling their bodies with poison and God knows what else. And half of them end up killing themselves. And why? Because it's the fastest way out!"

"You're insane…"

"Me? I'm the one-eyed lady in the kingdom of the blind, love. You're the crazy one- talking to voices in your head?"

_How does she know about that? Is this another one of your games?!_

_Moi?_

"It's not nice to ignore the devil, love."

Pain spasmed through him as he groaned. _Aren't there any normal people in here?_

Anima let go of him. Leon spun round, trying to work some feeling back into his throat.

"Are you finished?"

Anima bared her teeth at him. They were long and sharp as needles. Her face was contorted with rage, her eyes black, soulless pits.

_What was that you were saying earlier about a stake?_

_Heh. Nice to see that vampires don't phase you._

_Nah. I've seen too many horror movies._

She toyed with a string of her hair. "Should I kill you quickly, or let you suffer for your rudeness? I'll ask one last time- don't you want me?"

"I want _syphilis _more then you." Leon spat.

She hissed in anger.

"That was your last chance. Enjoy Hell, Leon."

"At least you wouldn't be able to follow me there." he quipped. "He'd spit you back out."

She roared with anger and sprang at him with unnatural speed. He saw it coming, but only just managed to move aside. Anima crashed into the frame of the bed, her many bracelets getting tangled. She tried to wrench her hand free, the metal buckling with each pull. Leon backed off, worried. He wasn't the only one.

How are we going to get out of this mess? 

Leon had already seen the answer. One of the horned imps that adorned the bedposts was clutching a Duel Monsters deck. He smiled.

_The same way we always do._

Anima forced her arm free from the bed. She glared at him.

"I have decided to make your death as painful as humanly possible. Your body will be a lifeless husk by the time I'm through with it. You'll go to your grave begging for-"

Leon pointed to the deck, knowing he had only one chance.

"You're a duellist?"

She blinked, annoyed at being cut off in mid-rant. "Of course, love. Duelling is what brings out the true passion in people. When they decide to co-operate, that is."

He smiled wryly. "Then perhaps you'd like to see mine, before you begin the killing?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge, love?"

He nodded. "Let the condemned man have his last defence."

Anima snarled at him, her face twisted. Fangs elongated and features contorted, she hissed like a cat at him. Her pupils had faded to black. Looking deep into her eyes, Leon realised, perhaps for the first time, how truly emotionless this creature was. If she willed it, she could tear him limb from limb or rip off his head in a heartbeat. She could torture his body until it snapped and his mind went screaming into Hell. Leon knew that it would be almost impossible to win. But…

He would not break before this trial.

Not this time.


	10. Chapter IX

Anima growled at him. Her voice had lost all pretences and niceties. It was vicious and angry, vastly different from her normal, feminine tone. She sounded like a wild animal.

"You think you can stand up to me, Leon?"

He nodded, convinced that he had to do this. She scowled at him.

"As you wish. But what shall the stakes be?"

He blinked.

_What do you think?_

_You're asking me?_

_Do you see anybody else in here?_

_Heh._

"If I win, you let me walk away. What do you want?"

She smiled emptily. "You know what I want. Should I win, I will kill you. What I do with you before then…well, I'll leave it up to your imagination."

He could imagine all too well. His gaze flickered to the bodies adorning the wall.

Anima tapped the imp clutching the deck. Immediately, the horned demon stretched, coming to life. It cackled and pointed at Leon, like he amused it. Anima took the deck and petted it softly, crooning. The sound was eerie and disturbing. As she stroked it, the bronze demon began to liquefy. It melted into a puddle of black ooze. Anima caressed it, letting it run up the sleeve of her dress. It coiled around her, like a snake. Finally, it dropped onto her left arm, thickening and congealing into a solid form. It took on the shape of a jet-black duel disk, matching her hair, eyes, and clothes. The body of the demon formed the centre of it, its wings stretching out to either side. She slotted in her deck and armed it.

Leon took his deck out of his pocket. He shuffled it slowly, carefully, keeping an eye on Anima at all times.

_Don't let her distract you._

_She won't._

_No, she will. That's a given- what matters is how you react to it._

_I'll remember that._

Anima snickered.

"You seem to missing something, love. Or are you going to use the floor to duel?"

Leon merely smiled at the taunt. He extended his left arm slowly and concentrated. A small ball of light descended from the ceiling, glowing softly in the dim light. As it dropped into his palm, there was a flash of white light.

Anima shielded her eyes, unable to see though the brightness.

"Satisfied?"

Anima blinked. Leon armed a silver duel disk, created out of thin air. It was in the old style, like that used in Battle City. She snarled and tore five cards from her deck.

"Say hello to the boatman for me, Leon."

He smiled darkly. "I'll save you a seat."

She hissed, showing all her teeth, trying to intimidate him.

"As you wish. And now…"

"DUEL!"

_(Leon: 4000/Anima: 4000)._

She drew a sixth card.

"I will make the first move."

_Don't take any risks- I want you in one piece._

_No argument here._

"Come forth in attack position, Giant Rat (1400)!"

It reared up, out of its card. It stared at him hungrily, rabid eyes gleaming, clutching a broken skull in its clawed hands.

"And I'll add a facedown card."

She bowed mockingly.

"Your move, love."

Leon drew.

"I summon Chiron the Mage (1800). Attack the Rat!"

The rat screeched as Chiron slammed into it. Leon flinched at the sound, but Anima purred softly.

_(Leon: 4000/Anima: 3600)._

"When Giant Rat is destroyed, I am allowed to search my deck for an EARTH attribute monster with fifteen hundred or fewer attack points and summon it to the field. So come forth, Pyramid Turtle (1200)!"

True to its name, the monster was a turtle. It had a dimmed look in its eyes, and its skin was a pale brown. It carried a large, golden pyramid on its back.

"I place one card facedown. Your-"

"Hold on!" Anima cackled. "I activate Solemn Wishes!"

"No!"

_That Trap will let her gain 500 Life Points at the start of each turn. I have to get rid of it somehow…_

"Your turn."

She drew.

"And now my Trap activates."

_(Leon: 4000/Anima: 4100)._

"Grr…"

"Pyramid Turtle, attack Chiron!"

"What?"

Chiron smashed the monster's pyramid with one blow. It screamed and dropped to the ground.

_(Leon: 4000/Anima: 3500)._

Leon was confused. "Now we're back where we started."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are we?"

The corpse of Pyramid Turtle began to glow. Bones flew out from the broken load it carried. They formed into a massive beast. Made solely of bones, its eyes gleamed red. It let out an ear-splitting roar.

"Meet Ryu Kokki! (2400)"

"How did you do that?"

She grinned sadistically. "When Pyramid Turtle is destroyed, I can search my deck for a Zombie monster with two thousand defence points or less and call it to the field. Now attack Chiron!"

"Hold on! Enemy Controller!"

A game control appeared in front of the monstrosity. Leon worked out a cheat code on it, the buttons moving as he pointed to them.

_Knew this would come in handy one day._

_Amen, brother._

_I'm not your brother._

_Not yet. But you're close._

"Let's see…Up, Right, A, B, C!"

The controller began to glow. A cable shot out, attaching itself to both Chiron and Kokki. Chiron roared and exploded, while Kokki stomped over to Leon's side of the field.

"For this turn only, your monster is mine."

"Is that all? To say you destroyed your own monster, I was expecting more."

Leon shrugged. "It was necessary."

_You won't win this way!_

_Shut up!_

Anima toyed with her hair. "If you say so. I place one card facedown, and that's all."

The controller vanished, and Kokki stomped back over to Anima's side. Leon drew slowly, considering the field.

"I place two cards facedown, and summon Newdoria in attack mode (1200)!"

He stabbed a finger at Anima's monster.

"Attack Ryu Kokki!"

The great zombie crushed the hunchbacked creature, but it cleaved away one of its target's legs in the process. It toppled to the ground in agony, vanishing.

Seeing Anima's expression, Leon grinned.

"When Newdoria is destroyed, I can destroy another monster. Your Kokki is no more."

_You sent another monster to its death. Is this duel worth so much to you?_

_You know that already._

_Maybe you haven't changed as much as you think._

_Stop the backseat duelling!_

Anima's Life Points increased as she drew.

_(Leon: 2800/Anima: 4000)_

"I summon Mystic Tomato (1400)! And now it attacks you directly!"

"Sakuretsu Armour! Bye bye, you ugly vegetable!"

It shattered. Anima frowned.

"I play my other facedown- Call of the Haunted! Ryu Kokki, return!"

Leon swore as the ugly skeletal beast rose up.

"Attack him directly!"

"Déjà vu!"

Anima looked surprised. "Never heard of that card, love."

"Funny, I already used it this round. Sakuretsu Armour again!"

"Agh!"

Ryu Kokki was felled, screaming in pain as it was dragged back into the Graveyard.

"I place two cards facedown. Back to you, love."

Leon drew.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon! Solemn Wishes is gone!"

A typhoon blew up, blasting the trap away into oblivion.

"Next I summon Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts (1500). Attack her directly!"

His great animal leapt for Anima, but she merely laughed.

"Rise, Embodiments of Apophis!"

Two large, purple, snake-like creatures rose out of Anima's facedown cards. Each was armed with a sword and shield, and a snake grew out of the top of each monster's head. They bared their teeth, snarling at him. Gazelle skidded to a stop comically, bouncing back to Leon's side.

(1600 x2)

_Damn._

"I…end my turn."

She grinned evilly as she drew. "I thought you might. Embodiments!"

Her monsters stiffened to attention, ready to strike. Leon tensed himself.

"Attack!"

_Oh shi-_

"AHHHHHH!!!!!"

The reptilian warriors tore his chest open with their swords, spraying blood onto the floor. He dropped to one knee, panting for breath. His world turned red with pain. Through the scarlet haze, he could just make out Anima's smirk.

_(Leon: 1100/Anima: 4000)._

He staggered to his feet, bleeding freely. It dripped from his injuries, creating a puddle on the floor. Anima wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Are you…finished?"

She nodded. He drew, slowly.

"I play Graceful Charity. Now I draw three cards, and send two to my Graveyard."

It took more time then normal, but he managed to draw them. He spent some time thinking, then dropped two monsters in his Graveyard. He picked out a card from his hand, thinking. Anima hissed at his slowness.

"Hurry up, _love._ I'm getting thirsty."

_For my neck, no doubt._

"I play Pot of Avarice!"

Five monster cards ejected from Leon's Graveyard. He shuffled them back into his deck and drew two. His cards were Enemy Controller and Nimble Momonga.

_Those rats really like you, don't they?_

"I place one monster facedown in defence mode, and I end my turn."

Anima drew, gesturing towards her serpents.

"Cut him to pieces!"

The blade of the reptilian warrior flicked out, slashing Nimble Momonga in half. Leon frowned.

"I gain 1000 Life Points, and summon two more Momongas from my deck in facedown defence position."

_(Leon: 2100/Anima: 4000)_

His monster spirits peaked out at the serpents. One of them shot a glance at Leon.

"Real funny, Boss. Why can't you have us fight Thousand- Eyes Idols? Hmm? Can't you play us against something-"

"Kill that rat!"

Leon closed his eyes. "Sorry."

Two sword slashes made quick work of his monster.

_(Leon: 3100/Anima: 4000)_

Anima was amused. "You're quite attached to your monsters, aren't you? They sacrifice themselves for you so easily."

He nodded.

"Not like my deck at all. Monsters don't want friendship They _hunger_ for battle. Hunger to be used as tools of war- it's all they're good for. My creatures _fear _me. You should learn something, Leon- Monsters _want _somebody to frighten them."

She continued ranting, but Leon wasn't listening. He'd already figured out how to beat Anima's reptiles. He drew.

"I ready my Nimble for attack (1000). And then I summon D.D. Assailant in attack mode as well (1700)."

Anima looked wary. _What could he be planning?_

"I guess it's true…Life is a game sometimes."

"What are you babbling about?"

"I play Enemy Controller!"

The game pad appeared before Leon again.

"Here we go again…Up, Right, A, B, C!"

Nimble Momonga vanished as one of the Embodiments glided over to Leon's side.

"Embodiment of Apophis, attack Anima's last monster!"

The two reptiles were evenly matched, destroying each other. Anima's field was left bare.

"D.D. Assailant, attack her directly!"

_**SLASH!**_

Anima made no sound, but staggered back as the blade ripped across her face. Black blood dropped from the wound, sizzling as it dripped onto the carpet. She shot him a black glance, her hair messy, tangled, and torn.

"Now you've made me angry, love!"

"The gods themselves do tremble." Leon muttered wryly. "It's your move."

She drew.

"First I place one card facedown, and then I summon Vampire Lady in attack mode (1550). "

_Hmm…_

"Then I play the Spell card, Dark Door!"

A black hole opened up behind Anima. The darkness swept out from it, blacking out Anima's room. Light began to pulsate from the opening, beating softly like a heart, a candle in the eternal dark.

_Thump._

_Thump._

_Thump._

"Interesting. Who's your interior decorator?" Leon remarked.

She smiled at the jibe. "My Dark Door limits both players to one attack per round."

_Stall tactics…I wonder what she's planning…_

"It's your move."

Leon drew, but pain shot through him. His hands were soaked in his own blood, from trying to staunch his injuries. Breathing was becoming painful, and it was hard to see Anima with the bright light from her Spell behind her. His palms were caked in dirt and sweat. He acutely realised, in the midst of everything else, that his coat was ripped. Under such circumstances, he did the only thing he could.

He burst out laughing. Arms clutched at the hole in his chest, he giggled like a schoolboy. Anima raised her eyebrows.

"Are you mad? What do you have to laugh about?!"

Leon continue to chuckle.

"Of course I'm mad! How could I not be? I'm duelling a vampire who wants to suck my blood and rape me, _inside my own head. _Have you any _idea _how illogical this all is? Witnessing my own memories over and over again, trying to find something while I don't even know what it is?! Travelling inside my own head by some magic means that's not even given a reason? _Of course I'm bloody mad!!!!!"_

He was screaming by the end in anger and fear. Part of him wanted to die, another to cry, and the last to laugh. Anima merely looked at him icily, the stare complimented by the ugly sword wound.

_Feel better now?_

_Much, thank you._

"My apologises. I just needed to get that off my chest."

She nodded sagely. "I understand."

His eyes had cleared, getting used to the gloom. He examined his hand.

"D.D. Assailant, attack Vampire Lady!"

It sprang, sword drawn to destroy the rotting monster. It leered horribly at Leon's monster. She swung…

And Anima laughed.

"So very predictable…blundering ahead like a troll. Trap card activate- Unlawful Binding!"

A purple smog billowed out of Anima's Dark Door. Anima's Life Points began to drop.

_(Leon: 3100/Anima: 2850)._

"What's going on? Answer me!"

She giggled.

"So commanding…but so foolish. By paying 1000 Life Points when a monster on my side of the field is destroyed, I may declare a monster type. Then, any monsters you summon thereafter that are of said monster type become my loyal slaves, as long as my binding exists on the field. In addition, they are treated as Zombie monsters."

"Can I have that in English?"

She smirked. "Your monster falls under my control. She is _my _creature now."

"Argh!"

The purple smog enveloped D.D. Assailant. She stood stiffly upright, choking on the fumes. Her skin turned grey and began to rot away, flesh falling from bone. Her eyes became blank, unfeeling, unheeding. She moved like a puppet, gripping her sword loosely in one hand. Leon was revolted, seeing his monster this way.

_That is what you will be if you lose. A rotting slave, the life sucked out of you to feed her sick lust. You cannot fail!_

_I won't._

_You will. You always do. Ever since Taylor came back you've been a failure. Don't you want to change?_

Anima laughed.

"We shall soon reach the end. You don't stand a chance of winning. But you already knew that before you challenged me, didn't you?"

Leon grimaced. "What makes you say that?"

"Your deck is nothing but a load of weak cards crammed together. I should know- I've seen it. I know your moves, your strategies. And you aren't going to win against me."

"You're wrong…"

She sneered.

"You don't play Tribute monsters, you don't use strategy. Why do you even bother fighting?"

Her words stung him. He could deny them, but that wouldn't make the question go away. Because he didn't know. Didn't know _why _he fought. Didn't know why did _anything_. Not any more.

_Why _do _I fight?_

_Isn't it for her?_

_It once was. But now…_

_You've lost the purpose. The strength. But I can help get it back._

_What _is _strength? What does it take to be strong? What does it take to-_

_To have power? You know that already. You know what to do._

_No. I will not sin again. I will do this myself, with my own power!_

_You don't know your power. Your power comes from the darkness. Or did you forget what I did for you?_

_How can I? It's your fault that I'm such a wreck!_

_My fault? I gave you strength! I am the ONLY reason you are standing here! Don't you see? The darkness lends power to the strong, to those who are willing to accept it. Embrace it!_

_I won't let you control me!_

_I already do. Everything you do was caused by our deal, You were kneeling in the gutters, screaming at God about something that didn't even concern you. I gave you strength- I gave you purpose. And with me, you succeeded! Fighting me is pointless- you're a wreck because you don't take what I offer. THAT'S why you came here- not to defeat me, but to ACCEPT me. Accept me, and we will crush her. You will never fail again._

Despair choked him. He stood still, not moving. Inky blackness dulled his senses, clouding all he knew. His emotional walls were breaking down. Doors and gates unlocked, spewing forth torrents of negative emotion. He drowned silently, under the weight of feelings he could not face.

_What are you?_

_What are _you? _Your deck is confused and chaotic- a bunch of unsynergetic cards held together by your own skill and an unfair amount of luck. Your deck is like you- it lacks purpose. Lacks power. I know you- you're terrified of failing. But it doesn't have to be that way._

_Truth is, I'm the real you. A dark individual, loathed and shunned by society. A pariah who embraces what he is and revels in it. A man who does not fail the people he loves. Don't you want to be me?_

_I…I…_

He was silent, unmoving, lids closed.

"Leon?"

His eyes snapped open. They seemed darker. Colder. Black smoke began to rise from him- a dark aura. His face twisted into a cruel, lifeless expression.

"Because there are things in the world _worth_ fighting for. Things that are worth doing _anything _for. You'll see that soon…"

Darkness from around them seemed to cling to him, washing his skin clean of blood and slime. Smoke built into a heaving fog around him, blocking out the light of the Dark Door. The great rent in his stomach closed itself with a hideous _squelch. _There was no warmth in him. No emotion. Just an icy coldness.His eyes were black, unfeeling, blazing with hate and anger. His voice was harsh and cruel, words drenched in venom as he spat them.

"You'll _pay_ for what you did to him!"

Anima's expression betrayed her. She was frightened.

"Leon…what's happening to you?"

He grinned cruelly. "He came to a decision. He chose to take the power. He chose wisely. _I _am what he should have been. No more indecision, no more pain. No more failure."

His eyes were walls. Nothing escaped, nothing entered.

"_Leon doesn't live here anymore."_

_(???: 3100/Anima: 2850). _


	11. Chapter X

As quickly and as unexpected as a storm, it came. Something broke. The fates cut the thread of sanity. The gates swung open, unleashing a wave of emotion that swept all before it. The torment only memory could create.

Leon had kept a wall between him and everything he didn't want to feel. That was how he dealt with things. He'd been through too much to simply face all his demons head-on.

But now, the wall was coming down. And with it, so was Leon.

He felt it rise. He fled, sinking deep into his subconscious to escape. Why? Why didn't he stay and fight?

Simple. He knew he couldn't win.

It had all become clear to him, in that moment. He saw how the voice had worn him down, pitting him against the most hated memories of his life in an attempt to break his control. With Anima, it had finally happened. His mental grip was gone. He couldn't keep it back anymore.

He was essentially blind, going only on instinct. Letting it lead him to the very centre of his mind. The absolute core of his subconscious.

_A fitting place to end this. _He reflected, almost laughing at the absurdity of his situation.

He walked in darkness for some time. It was impossible to keep track of time. There was no landscape or scenery. Above, around, and below him stretched an endless black void, yet he stood on solid ground.

_Thump._

He stopped and listened. Someone was approaching. He could hear heavy footfalls, like the lumbering steps of an ogre. He sighed.

_What now?_

"Shall we make her suffer, my pet?"

His monster, a great black dragon, roared as if in agreement. Scarlet fire ignited, burning like a furnace in its gaping maw. The unearthly glow matched the wyrm's gleaming, merciless eyes. It looked upon its prey hungrily, preparing to devour her. Its claws were tensed, ready to strike upon the command. Bones jutted out from its powerful wings. It was a ferocious sight to behold.

Though she was trying very hard to hide it, Anima was afraid. She'd been in control from the start- playing Leon along like a puppet on a string. She'd done the same in this duel- accepting his challenge, giving him the pretence that he stood a chance against her, letting him _think_ he was winning, so he'd feel that much worse when she crushed him. Her plan had been working perfectly, too. But just as she was about to drop the act…

The flames grew stronger. They illuminated the dragon master, letting him bask in their crimson light. He looked eerie and sinister among them, the light only matched by the dark flames behind his eyes. He gazed upon his beast with cold satisfaction, as if silently praising its anger.

Watching the look made Anima shiver, despite the feigned toughness. She didn't know what this…_thing _was, but it wasn't Leon. His deck was completely different- these cards were not the cards she'd seen before the game began. Her game plan wasn't working- she'd barely been able to make a scratch. He (for it was obviously male), on the other hand, was outplaying her with embarrassing ease. And from the look on his face, he was enjoying it immensely.

Just as she had been about to strike Leon down, his emotional walls had collapsed. She'd had a suspicion that there was a side of him she wasn't seeing, so she'd pushed him, hoping to catch a glimpse of it. But apparently, she'd pushed too hard. He'd snapped, and whatever he'd been hiding was out to play.

_And_, she reflected, _it looks like it plays for keeps._

It chuckled malevolently. Anima flinched.

"Attack her directly, with Inferno Fire Blast!"

Screaming for blood, the dragon blasted forth its attack. Anima shrieked as the fireball hit home.

_(???: 3000/Anima: 450)._

She gasped in pain. Her vision began to fade to black, shadows blotting out the field.

"Get up. It's much more _fun_ when my victims struggle."

Anima winced, partly from the pain and partly from the malice in his voice. The most frightening thing was, it spoke in Leon's voice, walked in his body. But there was no trace of him left. He'd been swallowed up by this sadistic monster.

_Leon…what happened to you?_

Despite altering her tactics, it wasn't enough. Her opponent countered every move she made, draining away her resources. She'd only managed to survive thanks to a hefty amount of luck, not on her own skills. She only had one card in her hand, and absolutely nothing on her field. Her opponent, meanwhile, still commanded the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, as well as a full hand of cards to use against her. However, she did have a few more tricks to try. She drew her card, eyes flickering nervously.

Perhaps there is still a chance…if he has something I can use. 

"I activate the Spell Card, Exchange!"

He snarled. Anima allowed herself a grin, baring her fangs.

"Show me your hand!"

He fanned it out slowly, placing each card onto his duel disk. Their card images projected overhead. She mulled each choice over in her head, then made her decision.

"I'll take Pot of Greed!" she announced.

He removed the card and threw it lazily at her. Unperturbed, she took the last card out of her hand and tossed it to her opponent.

"Don't get too attached to that."

"Perish the thought!"

She ignored the jibe. She played her stolen Pot, drawing two cards. Her eyes lit up at her pickings.

It seemed there was yet hope.

Leon let the person shadowing him approach. With each step the man (for it was definitely a man) took, he became surer of his identity. By the time he was within earshot, he was convinced. Not that that made it any easier to deal with.

"How nice to see you again, _son_."

He knew that voice. He'd only known one person in his entire life that could make him feel this bad. The person who should have picked him up when he fell down. The person who should have comforted him when his mother died. The person who should have stopped him slipping away. The person who should have been his best friend in all the world.

Should have.

He was staring at his father. He was a large man, very heavy on his feet. His face was red and puffy. If not for the black hair he shared with his son, he would have looked like a pig. His arms were crossed, and he wore a smug grin on his face.

Leon glared at him. The man sniggered, spraying spit from his mouth.

"Where's the love? No hug for your old man?"

"You bastard. When did you crawl out of the woodwork?"

His father shrugged.

"Sticks and stones. You'd probably knife me in the back anyway. You've got a lot of anger welled up in here, you know that?"

Still he did not speak. His father starting walking towards him, arms outstretched in a sarcastic parody of welcome.

"Even considering our history, I would have thought you'd be happy to see your dad…"

Leon could hold it in no more. As soon as his dad was close enough, he hit him in the jaw.

"Gah!"

He stumbled back, almost falling over. He hit him again. A third time. A fourth time.

His dad laughed derivatively, despite the blood pouring from his mouth.

"You want get your ass kicked? Again?"

He nodded slightly. A sneer curled across the man's lips.

"What makes you think you've got a shot this time?"

"I've changed. I'm not yours any more."

The sneer persisted. "Obviously. But the scars didn't heal, did they?"

The jibe didn't reach him. He had sunk into ice, into calm. Waiting for the end.

"How the hell could they? After what you did?"

His father spread his arms in mock innocence. "Did what?"

Leon's hands trembled involuntarily.

"What you did? What _you did?!_"

"You bastard…you _senile, fat, stupid, evil_ _SWINE!!!!"_

Despite being in the middle of a duel, Anima's curiosity got the better of her.

"What _are_ you?"

Her opponent sniggered.

"Don't you know?"

She shook her head. He continued to chuckle unnaturally.

"I'm Leon, of course."

"You aren't. He wouldn't take pleasure in causing pain to people."

His face hardened. "Is that what you think? You stupid girl. You have no _idea._ You don't know what he wants, why he's here…"

"…What he _is_."

"You have the gall to ask me _why?_ Don't you remember?! You hurt me and you hurt me and you didn't stop! Every night! Every single night! You never stopped, you never cared. Not even when I almost bled to death…and when I got down on my knees and begged for your _pity_, you nearly _broke my bloody neck!"_

Leon screamed and vented ten years worth of fear, guilt, and anger at the man in front of him. But he didn't even move.

"Finished?"

Leon's anger had drained away, subsided for the moment. He nodded slowly.

"Truth is, you're a mistake, son. That's all you ever were, all you are, and all you'll ever be. But don't worry. I'll send you back where you belong."

Leon flinched and immediately cursed himself silently for it. He stared at his dad, eyes burning.

_He deserves whatever I do. _He told himself. _He deserves far worse then this._

"Come on then!!" he screamed. "Beat the crap out of me! Go on! It wouldn't be the first time, would it? You have no idea of the hell I saw, you bloated freaking SON OF A-"

His dad lunged, madness in his eyes. Blood spurted from Leon's nose as he landed heavily on his back. He swore and got back up, fists raised with the thrill of the fight.

_He deserves it._

Anima grinned, despite the fearsome dragon towering over her. She had a semblance of a plan, but it hinged on what happened next.

"I play my Spell card- Hand Control!"

A dark, purple smog began to coil around her Graveyard. Her opponent sneered.

"Smoke and mirrors don't frighten me."

She smiled sweetly, but her voice was deadly serious.

"This will."

The smog thickened as she continued to speak. Her voice was calm, her inner panic not reaching the surface.

"Necromancy. This Spell allows you to select four monsters from my Graveyard and Special Summon them back to my side of the field. But if any of them are destroyed, all my remaining monsters lose six hundred points each."

He hissed in impatience. "I know how the card works. After all, you just…"

His eyes lit up in realisation. "No!"

Anima smirked. "Oh, _yes._ Hand Control allows me to call a card name, and if the card is in your hand, its activation is forced. Now play Necromancy!"

He scowled, but played the card. The smoke enveloping Anima's Graveyard thickened and congealed, until it had created four distinct shapes. At a gesture from Anima, they became flesh, growling up at her opponent's massive dragon.

"I select Vampire Lady (1550), Sangan (600), Pyramid Turtle (1400), and Fear from the Dark (1500). And because I'm nice, they're all in defence mode."

Anima twitched. "How very kind of you. Next I play the Spell, Plague Grasp!"

The spell depicted a body cart, diseased corpses being slung into the back. The driver appears terrified, keeping as much distance as possible between him and the corpses. A ghostly hand emerged from the card, pale and translucent in the gloom. It lunged, grabbing her opponent by the neck. He choked, his LP beginning to drop.

_(???: 1800/Anima: 450)._

Anima winced at her opponent's suffering. Whatever she was facing, it was still Leon's body, and she was pretty sure he'd want it back in one piece.

_Assuming he comes back. _

She tried to put the thought from her mind, but it refused to go.

"Plague Grasp removes four hundred Life Points from my opponent for each Zombie on my side of the field. But you probably figured that out already."

He staggered, lips spitting out a curse.

"Finished?"

She nodded gravely. Her opponent drew.

"Anima…do you want to know why he's here?"

She didn't say anything. He just chuckled. His laugh was cold, similar to Leon's but different at the same time.

"I think you do. Well let me fill you in on something first…"

He was almost crying with laughter. A confused expression crossed Anima's face. Eventually, the chortles subsided.

"You see, my dear…"

He smiled malevolently.

"Leon's _dead._"

"This is all your fault. Everything that's happened. All my pain. It's all your fault. I'm…I'm like this because of you. You hated me. Wonder why that was? Was it because I wasn't strong enough to help Mum, or that you weren't… and you knew that I knew it?

"It's all your fault. You drove me out into the cold and the dark. It might have been him who made me into this, but _you_ were the one who opened the door. I might have treated people like shit, but you're the one who stopped me from trusting anyone. You…you…"

Leon sighed.

"You deserved it."

The scenery had changed. He was sitting on the ground, at the entrance to a natural clearing. Small, white clouds hung in the bright sky. The sun beamed down on him, but he didn't feel hot. He felt a soft breeze blowing against him. Thick trees surrounded him for as far as he could see, birds flitting about and singing amid their branches. His rage had abated- he was calm. His father was nowhere in sight. He lifted a hand and wiped the crusted blood away from his nose.

_So this is what the inside of my heart looks like. Can't say I was expecting it._

Safety. It was a rare feeling for him. Ever since his mother died, he'd never been able to think of home as a safe place. Because every time he went back, his dad would be there. Waiting to thump the life out of him. He'd never feel safe again. Or at least, that's how it felt sometimes. The only time he'd felt safe was when he was with her. That was the only time when he could forget everything.

But here, in the deepest recesses of his consciousness, he felt safe. It had been a long time since he'd visited the place in reality, but it was still familiar to him. He could almost see the events from the last time he was here playing out in front of him.

"Funny how you cling to your few happy memories."

He didn't move. He wasn't surprised. He just smiled.

"Fancy meeting you here, Taylor."

For of course, it was she. She sat down beside him. She appeared normal, just as she had in Anima's room. Her scarlet hair was tied back. She put her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Leon pointed out. "After all, it's my head."

"Heart." She corrected softly. He looked at her suspiciously.

"What _are _you?"

She sighed.

"I am a representation of the Taylor you know. A ghost of what was, what is, and what might be. All your memories, thoughts, feelings for her…I'm just a collection. But when you talk to me, you're talking to her. Whatever she would think…whatever she would _feel_…I feel it. You can trust me."

Leon shook his head. "With everything else that's happened…Anima…how can I trust another fake image?"

"You don't have to trust me. All I can do is help you. Assuming you let me, of course."

He was quiet.

"Who's the voice who hides behind the mask? What is he, Leon?"

Leon did not speak. Moments passed. Several times he looked like he would have spoken, but he didn't. She didn't push him. She knew he would say, if he was given the time.

Anima was holding her own. Barely. She had a virtual army of monsters to back her up, but none of them could beat her opponent's little "pet". She had nothing left in her hand, so she couldn't do anything to protect herself. Her opponent wore a smug look on his face. It was oddly reminiscent of Leon's smile. To a less observant person, he just seemed like a more cocky, more self-confident version of him. If not for the ice in his eyes and the swagger in his voice, he could pass for him.

_Like, and yet unlike._ She mused.

"My turn. Draw!"

He added the card to his hand and took another one out. His eyes danced with an eerie glee. As he slotted it into his duel disk, his monster bellowed in anger.

"I play a Spell card- Flash Flare Blast!"

A massive gout of flame erupted from the jaws of his dragon, blasting a crimson stream straight at Anima's four monsters. There was a deafening explosion. As smoke curled away from her field, Anima was horrified to see that all four of her monsters had vanished.

"What did you do!?" she shouted.

_(???: 800/Anima: 450)._

He sniggered infuriatingly.

"By paying 1000 Life Points when I have a Red-Eyes Black Dragon in play, I am instantly able to destroy and remove from play all monsters on my opponent's side of the field. However, Red-Eyes cannot attack this turn, so make your last move. It'll be fun to see how you try and live. It's not like you can do anyth-"

"Spell card- Exorcism!"

A brilliant white light blasted out of Anima's duel disk, streaming up towards the sky. Cards flew out of her deck, one after another after another. Their spirits were sucked into the radiant pillar, making it grow even brighter.

"What the bloody hell is this?!"

Anima smiled. "It's over. I am now allowed to remove as many Zombie-Type monsters from my deck and from the game as I wish. However, at the end of the turn, I lose four hundred points for each card I remove. Of course, that's not a factor here."

"Why not?!"

"Because you're about to die. I remove thirteen Zombies from the game!"

A fourteenth card flew out. Anima added it to her hand and revealed one of those removed from the game.

"Fallen Protector. When this card is removed from play, I may add any Zombie monster I wish from my deck to my hand. I summon it now- Persephone, Queen of the Underworld!"

(ATK/0 DEF/0).

A women dressed in a funeral shroud appeared. Her face was half-covered by a fox mask, and her eyes were filled with despair. She held her hands out, and was engulfed by the pillar of white light.

"For each Zombie-Type monster removed from play, Persephone gains 1000 attack points. And I have…sixteen."

His eyes widened. "That means…"

Anima didn't even need to speak. Tears fell from Persephone's eyes. She raised her arms. As they fell back to her sides, his dragon began to rot and decay. Flesh peeled from bone, leaving only the white skeleton behind. Soon, even that was dust. His Life Points quickly fell to 0. As the cards faded away, Anima smiled triumphantly.

"Game over. Time for you to disappear."

"How wrong you are, my dear."

"After you…"

He broke off. Taylor watched, waiting for him to continue. His voice was quiet and emotionless.

"Your disappearance…it did something to him. When you left, you tore out a piece of his heart. He cared about you so much… probably too much. So when you left…"

He started to chuckle softly. His voice was hollow.

"The old Leon died. The trauma…the loneliness…he had nobody. It drove him out into the cold, and it killed him. He died alone and afraid."

She looked at his eyes. They were dry. He returned the stare, looking her in the face as he spoke.

"Dissociative Identity Disorder. That's what the doctors call it."

Her face showed her confusion. He laughed again, but it was still without mirth.

"Multiple personalities."

Anima's confusion was understandable. Amazingly, her opponent was smiling.

"You think just because I lost a card game to you I'm going to go away? What kind of _idiot_ would be so naive?"

She bit her lip. He extended his arm out. Three large, silver stakes appeared in front of him. She flinched at the sight. He grinned sadistically at the sight.

"Head or heart? Or maybe the chest…I always forget these things." he muttered to himself. "Oh! I know! Why not all three?"

His hand dropped. The stakes flew at Anima, impaling her through the heart, head, and stomach. Anima gasped in surprise, but the damage was done. Blood flew everywhere, trickling in thin streams from the entry points. Some of it stained his clothing. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He clicked his fingers. She screamed in agony as the stakes burrowed deeper into her skin. He kicked her viciously.

"_That_" he hissed "was for ruining my outfit".

Anima could not respond. Her strength had gone. Her eyes were blank. The blood flow slowed, and then stopped. He laughed cynically.

"One down. Rest in peace, my dear lady. You'll have company soon".

He turned and walked away, chuckling to himself. Her corpse was left to rot in the darkness.

"When you disappeared, it broke him. He became obsessed with trying to see you again. But everybody who knew something was keeping their mouth shut. He couldn't do anything to help you, and his mind just…it couldn't take it. It collapsed into two separate personalities. Me, and _him_. The broken hero, and the sick, twisted villain."

If Taylor was shocked, she did not show any sign. Leon sighed, helplessly

"He's as real a me as I am. I just didn't want to admit it."

She reached out and held his hand gently. He didn't move, but she knew he was grateful for the comfort.

"After the split, I don't remember much. I retreated into my own mind, and let him take over. I didn't even exist. He was me. And he…he helped me find you. By retreating deep inside myself, I didn't break. It didn't break me. But I had to watch him treat everyone else like crap. And from my mind, I saw it all."

She was still holding onto him. His face was deadpan.

"But it was worth it, for me. I would do it all over again, even if I had to damn everyone else on the planet in the process."

He looked at her numbly.

"What does that make me?"

She drew him close, putting her arms around him. He responded, but he seemed cold again. She whispered quietly in his ear.

"A good person. A person who wanted to see the person he loved again. There's no shame in that. She doesn't hate you for it. You might hate yourself for it, and for the fact that you still feel what you do, even after all this time. But she doesn't. She hasn't judged you."

The words were kind. The words were warm. But they brought him no comfort. A question appeared in his head. A question half of him was terrified to voice. And a question half of him was desperate to know the answer to.

_Does she love me?_

But a part of him knew that whatever he heard, it didn't make a difference.

_Just a fantasy, Leon._

"What does this other personality want?"

"He wants control. _Craves _it. After I…he…found you, I locked him away in my head. I'd learned how to detach myself from my emotions."

He laughed sourly.

"But now he's free. Anima broke my self-control, and he broke free. He's sick, twisted and evil- he's probably killed her already. I fled here because…I know I can't beat him. Not yet. All he has to do is kill me, and he's free forever. That's the goal. He lured me in here so he could break me and take control. I was a fool not to realise it earlier!"

Taylor nodded in understanding. She stood up, fiddling with something in her pocket.

"Something wrong."

She withdrew her hand. In it a Duel Monsters deck.

"What are y-"

She held a finger to her lips.

"Giving you a chance to prepare for the endgame.."

"He'll kill you!"

"Maybe he will. But I don't really exist, do I? I'm not alive, so I can't die."

He did not respond.

"This place…you're happy here, aren't you Leon?"

He nodded.

"When this is all over, will you show it to her?"

He smiled. And this time, the smile had heart.

"Yeah. I think I will."

She looked at him for what seemed like an eternity.

"Read Angel's note."

And with that, she was gone.

Leon sat there for a long time. He pulled the note Angel gave him out of a pocket. He hesitated for a moment, remembering the fire and the ash. The anger of the volcano. His threat.

"_Never enter my mind again."_

_What did he mean?_ He wondered.

He flipped it open.

_The darkness is always there, Leon. And it will never go away. But it's not all-powerful. Not strong enough to defeat a Forbidden power. What do I mean? I have no idea. And I'm willing to bet you don't either. But maybe you can figure it out._

_You can trust her. Your heart does not lie._

_Not to you._


	12. Chapter XI

He sat alone in the dark, smiling grimly. He didn't move, didn't speak. You could barely hear him breathe. His hands were slick with blood. Not his own, of course, because to bleed you have to be human.

He knew the person behind him. He knew why she was here. But he did not acknowledge her. Not until he was ready.

Why should I rush? I might actually enjoy myself. 

"You want to challenge me?"

He was using Leon's voice, mimicking it perfectly. He and Taylor stared at each other. Her, bristling with barely suppressed anger, he as frigid as ice.

_I can understand Leon's fascination with this one. She's certainly attractive enough._

She nodded. Her face was serious, set almost like a mask. He rubbed his hands together, like a miser about to count his money. His eyes were lively- two chips of ice, if not for the way they moved. He withdrew a deck from his coat and shuffled it. A duel disk appeared on Taylor's arm, complete with her deck. Its silver colouring was an interesting match to her near-albino skin tone. He smiled at her fierceness.

"Ohhh, I see…for him? I'm surprised he let you come…I didn't think he'd want to risk his precious lady, least of all to me. I'll be sure to have my way with you, after I win. It's not everyday such a foxy woman falls into my lap."

"Save it, you monster." she replied darkly. "I'm not interested."

He licked his lips.

"Oh, but _I_ am. Thanks for the compliment- you're warming to me already."

"Quit the mind games." She snapped.

He merely laughed. "Why? Don't you like being complimented? Perhaps our arena will loosen you up a bit."

He clapped his hands. The blackness surrounding him began to shimmer and spin, causing the whole world around them to rotate nauseatingly fast. She closed her eyes, trying to avoid vomiting. She couldn't hear anything. She didn't know where her opponent was. Eventually, it slowed to a crawl, and then stopped.

"We have arrived. I would advise you not to look down- I'd hate for your beautiful body to get damaged."

She opened her eyes and gasped. She was standing on a stone platform. It hung, high in the sky, amid a thick carpet of white cloud. A pale sun hung like a single, golden eye amid the brilliant blue sky, light reflecting off the clouds. Her opponent was stood on an identical platform some distance away, the single black spot in this picture of light and hope. Taylor looked around suspiciously.

"Come up here often?"

He armed his duel disk. Seeing this, she did the same.

"Leon does. Perhaps you should ask him about it some time."

"Maybe I will. Now, if you're ready…"

"Of course. You know, I'm think I'm _really_ going to enjoy this."

"DUEL!"

_(???: 4000/Taylor: 4000)_

He smiled at her mockingly.

"After you, my dear."

She nodded.

"Gladly."

She drew, eyes flickering over the cards in her hand.

_Excellent. Left Leg of the Forbidden One- one fifth of the way to victory already._

She quickly made a choice.

"I activate a Field Spell- The Sanctuary in the Sky!"

A gigantic stone temple appeared behind Taylor, seemingly built of white marble. Statues of angels adorned the front, topping the great pillars on either side of the entrance. A white light streamed out of the entrance, forming a protective shield around her. She relaxed a little upon feeling the familiar aura.

"Then I set one monster in defence position."

Her card's silhouette appeared in the precipice between them, forming another shield between he and she.

"Your turn."

Her opponent smiled upon seeing his drawn card. He toyed with his hand briefly before deciding on his card of choice.

"A friend of mine would like to play with you. Say hello to Salvo Spider (1500) in attack position!"

His newest monster was a dark, mechanical, arachnid-like creature. It carried a bank of missile pods on its back. Six black legs grew from the creature, ending in pincers. It clicked its fangs, hissing at Taylor. She flinched, much to the amusement of her opponent.

"Don't worry. He won't hurt you…_much_. Attack her monster!"

A rocket blasted out from the launcher on the spider's back, colliding with her monster and incinerating it. She took the card off her duel disk and held it up.

"Shining Angel. When this card is destroyed in battle, I can special summon a Light attribute monster with fifteen hundred points or fewer in attack mode. Another copy of itself should do the job (1400)."

Another winged angel appeared in play. Her opponent laughed.

"Predictable. Salvo Spider, activate your special ability and roast it!"

His monster shot off another rocket. Her angel didn't even have time to cry out. Taylor frowned and slipped the card into her Graveyard.

"So it lets you attack every monster on the field…"

"Correct! Now, you going to summon another monster?"

A third Shining Angel took its position in play.

"That answer your question, you body-snatching freak?"

_I can use his monster's effect to my advantage…_

A confused expression crossed her opponent's face as he realised something.

"Why didn't you lose any Life Points?"

She smiled and gestured to the clouds. "My Sanctuary negates all battle damage involving a specific type of monster."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fairies? Ah well, c'est la vie. Crush it!"

Another rocket was launched from his spider. Taylor didn't flinch as her monster was wiped away.

"No damage, and I get a new monster. My Nova Summoner (1400)."

A winged, teal-coloured bauble descended from the skies. Taylor smiled.

"The effect of my Nova is the same as the angels you've destroyed. So bring on your spider, you parasite!"

His face darkened. "So be it. Attack, my Spider!"

Despite losing a fourth monster in one turn, Taylor was not concerned. Her Life Points were safe thanks to her Sanctuary, and her monsters could replicate themselves.

_So far, so good…_

"I summon a second Nova Summoner."

He nodded to his creature, giving it the signal to attack again. The last Nova Summoner took the place of the destroyed one, and it too was torn apart by the spider. Despite losing six monsters in one turn, Taylor was unharmed due to her field spell.

"Time for a change of plan. When my Sanctuary is in play, I may summon Airknight Parshath, (1900) when I lose a Nova Summoner."

Her angelic centaur let out a battle cry as it leapt from the card, standing on the air. It unsheathed a sword from its side and took a practice slash.

Her opponent hissed through his teeth.

_Why would she let me destroy all her monsters? It makes no sense! Unless she…_

He looked at her deck, then at his own. And then, it came to him.

"You're an Exodia duellist…and to think I had forgotten. You tricked me into destroying your cards to thin out your deck!"

Taylor tapped her nose. "I was beginning to think you'd never get it. For someone wearing my friend's body, you're nowhere near as intelligent."

He grinned. "But far sexier, right?"

She flushed. "S-shut up!"

He laughed. "You can't hide it from me. You- or rather what you represent- are clearly attracted to him. And since I basically _am _him, it's only natural for you to be smitten by my charm. Animal magnetism and all tha-"

"I said shut the hell up! I draw, and I play Toon Table of Contents!"

A large book appeared and flicked open to the contents page. Taylor moved through her deck, adding another copy of the card to her hand.

"Had I used this on my first move, you'd probably have figured out my strategy. I play my next Toon Table of Contents."

Another book appeared, moving the third copy to her hand.

"My last Toon Table moves my Toon Gemini Elf to my hand (1900). Now its time to say hello to my friends, body-snatcher!"

The twin elves somersaulted, taking their position in attack mode. They smiled dazzlingly, but he was unaffected.

"Lovely choice of monster, but you're far more pretty."

She shook her head, embarrassed. "Don't you ever stop?"

"Being your opponent doesn't make me any less human." He pointed out.

"No. Love of torture and psychopathic tendencies tend to do that job well enough."

He whistled. "Ooh, feisty! I'm _really_ going to enjoy spending time with you- after I finish Leon, of course"

"Somehow I doubt that's going to happen. Even if I don't win this, he would crush you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"You think either he, or you, could win? Then what? Get married and live happily ever after? Let me tell you something- Leon doesn't _want_ to be normal. He clings to the fairy-tale ending, but deep down that's not what he wants. As for what he does want…well, that should be obvious. Not that I blame him, of course. Who wouldn't want to be able to touch you? Feel those soft lips against his own and that lovely body against his in the nigh-"

"Don't even go there!"

He smiled, like a predator. "Can't a man admire art when he sees it?"

She glared at him.

It isn't Leon saying those things. It's just an impostor, and I can't let him distract me. It's not Leon, it's not him, it's not him… 

"Airknight, attack his Salvo Spider with his Celestial Blade!"

His monster was skewered on the end of the knight's lance, exploding in a pile of scrap iron.

"When my monster is destroyed in battle, I take a thousand points of damage. And now you draw a card via Airknight, correct?"

_(???: 2600/Taylor: 4000)_

She nodded. She put her hand on her deck, preparing to draw.

_Roughly half my deck's been thinned, and still only one piece of Exodia in my hand. Lady Luck, don't fail me now!_

She flicked the card into her hand. Her eyes widened.

Right Leg! 

"Thank God…" she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Your move."

She noticed he was staring at her face.

"Something wrong?"

He shook his head.

"Your eyes…they burn with resolve. Such strength…such _beauty._ I can truly see why he loves you."

She looked up, startled.

"What did you say?"

He laughed. "You heard me. That deluded fool doesn't even realise it, but it's obvious to me. Are you telling me you didn't realise it either?"

There was no response. He sighed, as if disappointed.

"Alas, you are in my way, and so I must kill you. It is a pity. Once I finish Leon, I wonder how long it will take for her to fall in love with _me_…all that's left of her shining knight?"

"Get on with it." She spat.

He drew a card. He was oddly calm, almost like he was completely sure of his victory.

"As you wish. Now I play the Spell, Wyrm Summoning. With it, I may choose one dragon with fifteen hundred points or fewer from my deck and summon it to the field in attack mode. I choose my Red-Eyes Black Chick (800)."

A small, scarlet egg appeared. It cracked, crimson eyes glaring out of the dark. The tiny dragon crawled free from its binding, a miniscule fireball popping from its fangs.

_He's going to sacrifice it! _She realised in shock.

"I play my card's ability. I send it to my Graveyard to summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400)!"

His dragon glowed with black light, increasing in size and ferocity. Its wingspan grew to easily triple what it had been, in proportion to the rest of its body. It screamed in rage, teeth opened to devour her monsters.

"Attack her Airknight- Inferno Fire Blast!"

A fireball erupted from his dragon's mouth, incinerating her centaur. Despite this, her Life Points remained at full thanks to her Sanctuary in the Sky.

"That's all for the moment."

She drew her next card.

"I play Dark World Dealings. Now we each draw one card, and discard one card. But the card I'm throwing out is my Ojamagic, which moves the Ojama Trio into my hand."

She added the three normal monsters into her hand, silently counting the number of cards left in her deck. She was having trouble concentrating. An image of Leon- the _real_ Leon- flashed through her head.

Not long left…but there's still three pieces to go. I have to keep focused, and not let him distract me. 

"I switch my Elf into defence mode (900), and set a facedown card. That's all, so I discard an Ojama to bring my hand down to six cards and end there."

"Pathetic." He scoffed. "I expected more."

She shrugged. He picked up his next card.

"How interesting. I play a favourite Spell of mine- Inferno Fire Blast! Now you lose twenty-four hundred points, no questions asked!"

Her eyes widened. His dragon spat out another blast of flame, punching straight through her Sanctuary's aura.

"D-damn it…"

_(???: 2600/Taylor: 1600)_

She collapsed, shaking. Her hands and face were badly burnt.

"Can't handle the pain? I'm not surprised. Sky Sanctuary has no practical purpose in an Exodia deck. I _know _you, Taylor. You've been so hurt and scared over the years you're terrified of pain, any pain at all! That's why you built your whole deck to prevent you from taking damage!"

She didn't respond, but she knew he was right.

_It hurts…but I…I…I gotta keep going. He needs my help…have to keep going…_

"Trap card open. Exchange of the Spirit… switches all cards in the deck with those in the Graveyard."

_(???: 2600/Taylor: 600)_

He didn't seem surprised, or even bothered. He simply swapped his cards around calmly, while she could barely manage it due to the burns. She was standing- barely.

"End turn."

She drew Right Arm of the Forbidden One. She checked her hand. Three of the five Exodia pieces were in her hand now.

_Dark Factory of Mass production and Monster Reincarnation…I dropped the rest of the Exodia pieces in the Graveyard with my trap. I…I can win!_

"I p-play…play my Dark Factory of…"

He waved a hand. "I know what it does. Pick up your two normal monsters."

She slid the last normal Exodia piece and an Ojama into her hand, not realising the trap.

"Monster Reincarnation. Discard Pot of Greed…to return Exodia's head to my hand."

She revealed the other four pieces.

"Game over..."

She looked down at her duel disk. The head of Exodia was nowhere in sight, not coming out of her Graveyard. She stared stupidly for a moment.

"What's going on?"

Her opponent cleared his throat loudly. He held a card up, showing her.

"D.D. Crow removes one monster in your Graveyard from play. Exodia's head is gone."

"No…"

_He's won…I tossed out my Burial from a Different Dimension with Exchange of the Spirit, and I can't hold him off next turn. It's over…_

"I assume from your silence that you are done. Now, I play my Spell card, Fairy Meteor Crush. This adds a piercing effect to my Red-Eyes- it will damage your points even though your Toon is in defence mode."

She shook her head in despair. She could barely hear her opponent. All she could hear was the voice in her head. It was Leon's voice, full of sadness and anger. She could see him now, his back to her.

Walking away.

_You failed. _

"Inferno Fire Blast."

Her world was consumed in a pillar of fire and ash. She might have cried out for Leon, might have screamed. She didn't know. She wouldn't remember. The pain was as all-consuming as the flames. Nothing escaped.

_(???: 2600/Taylor: 0)_

She fell to the floor, quivering uncontrollably in shock. Her glasses fell to the floor and smashed. Her red hair was burnt almost completely away, her skin black from the burns. She heard nothing, saw nothing. Felt nothing. The image of Leon vanished as silently as it came, leaving her alone.

_Leon…I'm sorry…_

_I'm so, so sorry._

The field of clouds vanished, as did the sanctuary. He moved over to her, grabbing her by the throat. He began to whisper softly. His every word was coated with venom, but she didn't react. She couldn't.

"You know what happens now? I'm going to sit right here and watch your life burn away. And when you're dead, I'll nail your damn _carcass_ to the wall as a warning to your boyfriend. He'll follow you soon enough. I accepted your challenge to hurt him. I'd wager that when he finds out, he'll go insane. Just like when he lost you before."

He propped her head up with a finger, stealing a kiss.

"Such a rare flower…so beautiful. Yet so fragile."

He let her head fall. She dropped to the floor, dead weight. Limp, unresponsive, but he knew she lived yet.

_But not for very much longer. _He thought with a grin.

He withdrew a silver stopwatch from his coat and set the timer.

"Let's see how long you last. Shouldn't be hard for you to beat Anima…the vamp didn't last a minute."

He crossed his legs and sat down, watching her slowly slip away..

He would enjoy watching her spirit crumble.

_10 minutes to go._

Leon was alone. It had begun to rain softly, the water dripping down his clothing. Despite this, he didn't move. His mind was occupied with other things.

"Yo, boss! You look a little depressed. You ok?"

He fished a card out of his deck. One of his Nimble Momonga cards was speaking to him. Nick, by the sound of him.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

It raised an eyebrow. "Real funny boss. We ain't dumb- we know something big's gonna go down soon. Just wanted you to know the guys and me'll be there for you come the end. You're not alone boss- you've been too good to us for us to let you down now."

"Too good to you?" he repeated incredulously. "I put you through hell!"

It winked at him.

"Better then not being used at all. Now, how about you go beat that freaky dude behind you? He's looking pretty angry at ya."

He resisted the temptation to look.

"Sure."

He turned around, relaxing at the sound of the voice.

"Demon."

A grotesque monster had appeared in the treeline. It was huge, twice as tall as him. Six leathery wings grew from its back. Its skin was green-brown and mottled, like metal that had been struck with a hammer. Its arms were long, hanging down by its sides like a gorilla's. Attached to its left one was a duel disk that matched his skin colour. Five short, sharp claws extended from each hand. Glistening red eyes stared out of a large, horned head. Ichor dripped from its mouth as it bared its teeth at him. It spoke in a voice that was neither male nor female, but combined elements of both.

"Lovely to see you again, slave. I trust that you remember me?"

"How could I forget the thing that little children fear? The nightmare king?"

It roared with laughter. "How indeed. You remember the old game, I take it?"

Leon did not smile. "Of course. Let's get on with it."

Demon snickered, spraying ooze everywhere. "So confident, are you? You think you can beat the Devil, little man? I'll crush you like a bug!"

"You're not the Devil," Leon hissed, arming his duel disk and slamming in his deck.

"You're _practice_!"

_(Leon: 4000/Demon: 4000)_

It plucked a card from its vile duel disk, the claws reaching almost daintily for it.

"Now slave, I begin! Daemonic Warrior in attack position!"

The demon's monster stepped out of the air, clutching a monstrous axe. It was humanoid, with a dark blue skin tone. Its eyes were soulless and angry. It heaved its weapon into the sky and roared a battle cry.

(Daemonic Warrior: 1900)

"Then I'll play a facedown. Your move, slave."

_8 minutes to go._

Leon did not reach for his deck. "I never understood something, Demon- why do you call me that?"

It sneered. "You think the title of "slave" ill-befitting?"

"Oh, no. It's perfectly fitting. But then, there's nothing wrong with that."

It glared at him. "How so?"

He sighed. He didn't speak for a few moments. Eventually, he spread his hands wide.

"People say it's better to die on your feet then to live on your knees. They couldn't be more wrong. The slave who lives on his knees may eventually choose to throw off his chains, whereas the man who died can't do anything to change. The slave can make the decision to fight for his freedom, the dead man can't. I should know- I lived that way for a very long time. But now is the time for me to remove _my_ chains. Draw!"

_7 minutes to go._

He examined his new card and gazed up at the object of his nightmares, defiant.

"Meet Dark Jeriod (1200). And now, keep an eye on your Warrior, Demon!"

Leon's monster wrapped a tentacle around the monster, leeching strength from it. It roared another battle cry, but it was feeble. It could barely lift its weapon.

"Dark Jeroid weakens your monster by 800 points upon summoning. Now, Jeriod attack it!"

Another tentacle snaked out and wrapped around the monster's neck. It constricted, choking the life out of it. Its windpipe was crushed to an impossible size, and then it exploded violently.

_(Leon: 4000/Demon: 3900)._

It growled fiercely at him, but Leon did not seem affected. Its left arm began to smoke. It yelled in shock.

"What the hell did you do to my body, you runt?!"

At last, he allowed himself a smile.

"In the centre of my heart, I make the rules. So I added a penalty for losing this game- the loser's body disintegrates completely!"

"WHAT!" it bellowed, the sound shaking the trees. "You tricked me!"

"No. You challenged me, but you neglected to ask what would happen if you failed to win. This isn't a dream- this is _real._ And when I win, you'll be nothing but a faded memory in my mind. Now get on with it!"

"Fine, slave! First, thanks to my Warrior's effect, your monster is destroyed!"

Leon grimaced as it exploded, leaving several, blood-stained tentacles behind. Demon reached for its deck.

"Now I…"

It stopped. Leon was grinning. A spell card had appeared before him. It depicted a demon whispering into the ear of a young girl, who walked toward a hungry dragon.

"Slave, explain yourself right now!"

Leon's body was smoking softly. Yet it did not seem to hurt him as it had the demon. He was beginning to disappear, his body vanishing into the ether. Only his left eye was left behind. Despite this, it was obvious he was still grinning.

"My new card is called, unsurprisingly, Willing Offering. Whenever one of my monsters inflicts damage to you, I may pay any amount of Life Points. This amount is then inflicted to you as direct damage. I pay thirty-nine hundred points, to deplete yours to nothing!"

The smoke rose, hanging in a cloud over his head. He laughed again.

"Game over."

At his command, it shot towards his opponent.

_(Leon: 100/Demon: 3900)_

_5 minutes to go._

Leon's single eye widened in shock. "What the hell!"

It chortled, pus and ichor dripping from his jaws, standing behind a face-up Trap. A blue-white shield surrounded him, glinting with reflected power.

"Hahahahahahahaha! Nice try, slave! Damage Polariser stops all damage from a special effect, then we both draw one. So you've just weakened yourself to the point of death for _nothing!"_

Leon remained calm, his eye flickering across his new card.

"Set one card. Turn end."

It drew its next card. Its face twisted into a grotesque smile.

"I summon Daemonic Bloodbeast (2200) in attack mode!"

A large, fleshy creature appeared. True to its name, it was soaked in blood. It was similar to a slug, a mound of crimson skin and organs underneath a hard, black shell. A long tongue flopped out and flicked around, tasting the air like a snake's.

"Finish it! Attack him directly!" Demon bellowed.

Leon's single eye winked at him.

"Perfect. You should have guessed by now that a straight offence gets you nowhere but beaten against me. Open, Agony Balance!"

His trap flipped open. The card art was of a pair of scales carved from bone. A severed hand lay in one side of the scales, with the other empty. In the background, two men can be seen. One has his arm bared, while the other presses a knife to his wrist. There was a flash of light, and the Bloodbeast retreated.

"Agony Balance negates your direct attack. More importantly, it combines our Life Points and splits that number in half. Then, our Life Points are fixed to that score. I have one hundred points, and you have thirty-nine. Added up, that's four thousand. Cut that in half, and we're now at…"

He winked again. "Two thousand each. Now cough up!"

Roughly half of Leon's body instantly re-appeared. The demon writhed in agony as his body sizzled, covering the area with the sickly sweet smell of burning flesh as it tore away from bone. Leon grinned.

"Now who's the weakling? Can't handle the pressure?"

"Silence! I end my turn!"

Leon nodded in acknowledgement and drew.

_He's rattled…now's the time to strike._

He raised a hand, pointing to the skies.

"And now, I shall end you."

Little pinpricks of light could be seen in the dark skies, like shooting stars.

"History teaches us that, millions of years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth as gods. But, as must all empires, it came crashing down. Yours is no different, despite how powerful it was. Despite all your power…the power to keep me from sleep. The power to make me afraid to even _close my eyes_.

"But I know what you are now. Just the figment of my mind conjured up by my fear and guilt. But you know that nothing lasts forever. Not my pain…not the dinosaurs… and not you. Look up, and see your defeat!"

In the sky, the pinpricks were growing larger and brighter. With a shout of fear, Demon realised what was coming.

A shower of meteors.

"I play the Spell card, Deepest Impact!"

They hit, blasting every monster in play to dust. Both players Life Points dropped by half, leaving them at a thousand.

Leon smiled. "Should I ask you to beg for mercy?"

"Never, slave! I'm going to crush you!"

"Then why do I see fear in your eyes?"

There was no response. He shrugged.

"Sticks and stones. Never is a long time, you know. As much you are deserving of an eternity of agony for what you did, it would be stupid to torture a figment of my imagination. However…"

He swiftly selected a card in his hand to do the job.

"D.D. Assailant (1700), end it."

The katana-wielding warring charged, bringing her blade to bear as she slashed the demon across the belly. He screamed as green-black blood poured out of the wound. The demon's body began to smoke and burn, flesh melting and fading away to nothingness. Before it disappeared completely, it screamed one last threat.

"I'll still be in your nightmares, slave! You may have won this, but it doesn't end here! It'll _never_ end! You'll never be able to beat him!"

Leon remained still. He watched the monster- the _enemy-_ roast alive.

"Burn in hell, Demon."

_(Leon: 1000/Demon: 0)._

Leon closed his eyes as his body returned to normal. He did not move, even to shut off his duel disk, but instead whispered to himself.

"Only one thing left."

Thunder roared overhead, as the rain drenched him to the skin. Lightning blasted across the sky in sheets, bringing light in brief flashes. He knew the cause. He felt it like a bullet wound in his heart.

_She lost…_

He was alone now. His strange guardians- Anima, Taylor. Gone.

_It's up to me now. _

For him, it was simple. If he won, he could undo all the damage his other half had wreaked. He could bring her back. He wore a grim smile on his face.

"Bring on the night."

Deep in his mind, his darkness stopped the timer. He smiled sadistically and reached for Taylor's deck. He skimmed through, selected five cards and tucked them away in his coat. He dropped the remainder over her still form.

He began to laugh at the irony of it all.

"Ignorance may be bliss, but it sure is _pathetic_."


	13. Chapter XII

_Madwoman! Madwoman! Madwoman!_

Knives, blazing hot, being driven into her skull.

The decaying flesh of the dead and the damned.

_Madwoman! Madwoman!_

It knew all. It saw all. And it laughed.

_Madwoman…_

So the birds and the beasts called and cawed. Taylor lay alone in the dark, naked and defenceless before his eye.. Demons flittered around her, pelting her with glass. With excrement. With flames. She tried in vain to cover herself, to cry out. But it was useless, because there was nobody to listen.

Useless. Absolutely useless.

She rolled into a ball, rocking back and forth. She tried to blot everything out, but she couldn't. A song was running its way through her head, the only positive sound in the abyss of hell.

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding…_

_And all the lights that lead you there are blinding…_

_There are many things that I, would like-_

_Would like…would like…like what?_ She couldn't remember. Everything was beginning to fade. She could feel _him_ from afar. The puppetmaster. The man- no, that wasn't right- the _scum_ that was conducting this agony like a symphony. He stood, laughing at her fear and her pain.

He'll come for you.

_He'll come and he will die. _

_Then I'll be all that's left, and he'll ROT!_

_Just like you're doing…you'll come around, in time._

_They all do._

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to blot it all out, but it was useless. He continued to chant, throwing insults and prophecies over her like confetti. She was losing it. She begged for it to stop, promising anything he wanted.

_Deals are for the devil. _It mocked.

And then, it turned its attention from her. The lidless eyes scanned the mind, looking for the core. Drawn to it.

Drawn by a woman scorned…

"God, you look like hell."

The girl standing before him could have stepped straight from an American high-school cheering squad. She was tall and graceful, seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a criminally short skirt to show off her long legs. She wore a tight, black shirt that was cut off at the midriff, exposing a pierced bellybutton. Her voluptuous breasts seemed to push against the fabric, daring people to stare. Her skin was white and unblemished, distinct from his sickly tone. His wrists jangled with bracelets and other jewellery.

But despite her provocative attire, she did not seem desperate or needy. She held an air of confidence about her, telling all and sundry that this person knew what she had, how to use it, and wasn't afraid to do so. She tossed her long, blonde hair and smiled at him. Her eyes were warm, a pair of ice-blue chips. To anyone else, she would have looked very pretty, perhaps even beautiful.

But not to him.

She looked out of place amid the calm grove that represented Leon's absolute core. But then, he thought, that was to be expected, considering who she was.

Leon smiled wanly. "And people say you don't know what's after death."

She raised her thin eyebrows at the joke. He sighed, as if her presence was an unwelcome distraction.

"What can I do for you, Katie?"

She shrugged. Leon caught the smell of a familiar musky perfume.

"I'm not sure. I just felt like I should be here, you know?"

_Of course you did._ He thought. He nodded softly.

"You look like you've got something on your mind. You want to talk about it?" Katie asked.

Leon laughed. The sound was as sour as curdled milk.

"What do I have to say to _you?_"

A confused and hurt look crossed the girl's face.

"What's wrong with you? I thought we were friends?"

Leon burst out laughing. The sound was unnerving.

"Friends?!" he spluttered. "Did you think I was born yesterday? You think I could forgive you so easily?"

The eerie laughter subsided. She stepped forward and laid a hand on his arm, gently.

"Forgive me for what?"

Leon drew back sharply, as if burned. He stared at her, his eyes possessing only the faintest hint of life. She almost gasped at the sight. His words were calm. Cold.

"You know what. You know exactly what you did."

The confused expression was back on Katie's face.

"What did I do?"

He didn't respond. He just stared at her, waiting for her to realise it.

"Oh." She said. She sounded almost embarrassed. "_That._"

He didn't say anything.

Now she really _was _embarrassed. "Look, I was younger then. I couldn't control my-"

"Bullshit. You knew exactly what you wanted from me, and when I wouldn't give it to you, you tried your flirting game on me. But it didn't work."

He paused. Katie's face was pleading, as if begging for something. His eyes may have flicked to her chest, but only for an instant. Her blonde hair fluttered slightly in the breeze.

"Just like it's not working now. I told you then and I tell you now."

She couldn't bear to hear it from him. She whispered, trying to keep it together.

"You don't love me."

Her normally calm demeanour seemed to crack as she said this. Her eyes glistened, and she turned her back on him. She didn't see him shake his head. He remained still, unmoving. Her voice quivered as she talked, almost inaudibly.

"Look, Leon…I'm not proud of that. I'm not proud of a lot of things. You were such a nice guy, and you looked so _hurt_. You tried to hide it, I know, but I could still see it. I didn't know what was causing it…I just wanted to help you, in the only way I could! I thought…if you had _somebody…_somebody to make you stronger…"

She stopped. She knew what he was going to say.

"Only one person could do that for me. But I understand why you did it. I can forgive that."

She didn't move. Leon continued to speak.

"But I had my reasons for turning you away, and there is something that you did that you haven't realised yet. Something I _can't_ forgive you for."

Her hands tightened into fists. Tears of pain and anger fell from her eyes, and she no longer tried to keep them closed.

"Reason? _What reason?!" _she shrieked, spinning around. Her eyes were wild and fierce, her hair messy. She looked like she was about to hit him.

"Damnit Leon, _I loved you!_ I loved you…but no, the great untouchable Leon couldn't lower himself to be with someone like me."

Her tear-stained face twisted into a sneer.

"Nobody's good enough to help Leon, oh no. Leon must suffer alone, because that's exactly what he wants. Nobody can make him feel anything for anyone except himself. Your superiority is horrible! Telling me you can't forgive me, while not even telling me what I did!"

Leon listened to her outburst impassively. When she finished, he began to speak.

"Do you even _remember _her?"

His tone shunted away all of Katie's anger. She wondered whom he meant. Then it hit her.

"Taylor? But she disapp-"

Leon cut her off, furious. "Let me tell you about Taylor. She was your best friend, as close to you as your shadow. In many ways, that's all she was. She wasn't as hot or as sexy as you, despite being a far better person. So wherever you went, guys would be too busy ogling _you _to take any notice of her. And you loved it that way- loved being the centre of attention. I know- I watched it happen."

"That's not tr-" she began to object, but Leon ignored her.

"Everybody except me. She wasn't any more special to me then to everybody else. She didn't need to be. But…"

"But what?"

"But I wasn't enough. And when it happened, I couldn't stop it. She drowned for months in her own fears, and I was the only one who cared to _do_ something about it. You…you and your little cliques, who claimed to be her friends…you forgot about her. And you dared to insult her…just because…because she was ill!"

She didn't answer. There wasn't one to give.

"How could I be with you, and love you, when she was like that?"

Still no answer.

"How could I, when the person I loved, needed me? You think I'm cold and unfeeling? You don't have a bloody clue."

Katie's anger was gone, leaving her drained and empty. She understood, finally, why he had been in pain. Exactly why she couldn't have helped.

And why forgiving and forgetting would never be an option. She hung her head, whispering.

"We didn't know."

Leon was unmoved. "You didn't _want _to know."

"She never loved you. You were just a friend to her. But I did, and you still turned me away. You knew that…knew what it would do to yourself, and to those around you… and yet you didn't give up on her? You still chose it?"

He nodded. She shook her head, confused.

"Why?"

His answer was simple. He seemed impassive, as if carved from stone or ice.

"She touched my heart."

The words held a note of finality. The conversation was finished. Katie nodded, sadly.

"You'll need a defence against the dark- three azure windows to the soul, and God to watch over them."

She turned and walked away, slowly disappearing beneath the boughs of the trees.

"Best of luck, Leon. I'm sorry I can't help."

A thought crossed Leon's mind, but he put it aside. He would look at it later.

_Nobody can._

It smiled. It knew, now, where to go.

He knew where the rat had hidden itself. It would not be necessary to torture the girl further, but he would do it anyway.

Just for fun.

_Checkmate. Time to bring the mountain to Mohammed._

It had found him. Leon could sense it. Quite how he didn't know, but he did. He felt like he was being watched, like a bird right before the cat decides to eat it. He shivered, despite it not being particularly cold.

_Three azure windows to the soul, and God to watch over them._

This was a riddle, pure and simple. Katie's words echoed in his head.

_You'll need a defence against the dark._

He sat down in the grass, and mulled it over to himself. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the landscape.

He stayed like that for a long time. His brow was furrowed with thought. Memories of past games were flashing in his head, both his own and those of a legend. He pictured them…

Standing atop a castle's battlements, slashing a throat.

_Surrender now, unless you have the courage to unleash your attack!_

A volcanic pit, two players stood on rocky outcrops.

_I'll show you real power! Let's go!_

Portraits lining the walls, a glowing green seal on the floor, and a women clutching a blade of white light.

_I've fought too hard…so you can't lose this!_

"Three azure windows to the soul, and God to watch over them…"

The light flicked on. He smiled, showing his uneven teeth.

He'd found the answer.

He rose quickly, calling out a name.

A summoning.

The air shivered at the sound, seeming to pulse with energy. Leon concentrated on the memory he wanted, shaping the complete figure of what he wanted. A great tear seemed to open amid the trees, into blackness. From it, a man could be seen. Leon knew who it was.

The man approached, stepping out of the tear in reality. He walked with a swagger. The confidence was reflected in his grin.

"If you wanted my autograph, you could have just asked."

Leon merely grinned.

"I have a job for you. And I'll be watching to make sure you do it right."

_I'm a bloody genius…_

He was touring Leon's mind, humming a tune to himself as he headed for the centre. He watched random clips and memories along the way, pictures amid the total blackness. He laughed at a particularly gruesome one and carried on singing quietly to himself.

"To-day, is gonna be the day, that they're gonna throw it back to you. By-now, you shoulda somehow realised what you gotta do…"

He broke off, suddenly. He could hear footsteps approaching. He quickly fanned out his deck, removed five cards, and slipped in the ones he took from Taylor. He didn't bother to shuffle it; instead he merely slotted it into his duel disk. He cooed softly, disturbingly to his cards.

"Soon, my pretties…soon a third shall fall to your might. But who? That is for _him_ alone to know…all we can do is play the roles that are given to us."

"You know talking to your cards can get you locked up, right?"

The voice rang out through the darkness ahead of him. It was full of confidence, as if its owner did not comprehend the thought of losing. He closed his eyes briefly as he placed it.

_That sly bastard Leon…oh well. I think I'll enjoy this one even more then the last._

His opponent approached. He wore a duel disk, the twin of his own, in the old style of Battle City. He was dressed in a white duster, worn open to show off a black shirt that matched his dark trousers and boots. Blue eyes gleamed like sapphires in his face, almost hidden by the mop of brown hair. A card dangled as a pendant from around his neck. He was fairly tall and thin, giving off an impression of power and respect. The thing that wore Leon's body smirked as his opponent arrived.

"Seto Kaiba. I must say I am honoured. I hardly expected my other half to call _you_ just to get rid of little old me. He must be more terrified then I thought. Tell me, how did he do it?"

Kaiba did not respond. He chuckled.

"Well, at least you're in character. As you wish."

His opponent nodded. "Let's get this over with."

Both duel disks armed without a word.

_(Kaiba: 4000/???: 4000)_

"After you, Kaiba-boy."

He grimaced. "Shut it. I'll start with one monster facedown, and another facedown card. That ends my turn."

His cards appeared, one in each zone.

_How unlike Kaiba to play so conservatively._

The parasite drew, sliding two cards into his duel disk.

"I start with two copies of Wyrm Summoning. Now I select two Dragons with fifteen hundred points or fewer from my deck and play them in attack position. I summon Masked Dragon (1400), and Red-Eyes Black Chick (800)!"

His two monsters leapt from their cards and roared at Kaiba. He didn't flinch. One was black and small, a barely grown dragon hatchling, the other a fully-grown dragon with a pale white face, and alternating red and white skin.

"You _dare_ challenge me to a battle of dragons? Who do you think you are, you fool?"

He sighed.

"Kaiba, you arrogance is exceeded only by your pig-headedness. Seriously, don't you ever learn? Nobody's invincible, not even you."

He paused, eyes glinting.

"If nothing else, I'll prove that. I play my Chick's ability, sending it to the Grave to summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400). Next, I sacrifice Masked Dragon for my Kaiser Glider (2400)!"

His two dragons shattered, replaced by much larger and deadlier specimens. One was gold and oddly mechanical, the other onyx and all too organic. They both glared hungrily, teeth bared and eyes hungry. Despite such a strong opening, his opponent kept cool.

_This guy wouldn't sweat if you tossed him into a volcano._ He mused wryly. He spotted a slight glow from behind Kaiba, but it vanished as soon as he glanced away.

_Could he be getting help?_

In truth, Kaiba was indeed getting help. The window in Leon's mind was giving him a front-row seat to the game. By speaking, he could communicate with his "champion". He knew he risked having his other half notice him by doing it, but he had to help Kaiba if he could. He didn't want any more deaths on his hands, even if these people didn't really exist.

_Kaiba, make sure you can defend yourself at all times. The way this guy plays, one opportunity and it's all over._

He could sense Kaiba's annoyance.

_I know! You don't need to tell me what to do. There isn't a player on Earth who's equal to my skills!_

_I'm sure Yugi, Pegasus, your stepbrother, and Dartz disagree. Hell, even Joey Wheeler nearly beat you. Trust me Kaiba, in this duel you need all the help you can get._

Kaiba uttered a curse that would have made a pimp blush. Amused, Leon closed the link, leaving him to get on with it.

_He'll be fine._

"Red-Eyes, attack with Inferno Fire Blast! Destroy his facedown monster!"

A fireball cascaded from his dragon's maw, thundering towards his monster in a crimson arc. Kaiba smirked.

"How gullible. Reveal Ancient Lamp!"

His monster flipped up, a glowing gold lamp. It shone as the fireball hit it.

"This lets me redirect your attack to one of your own monsters. Kaiser Glider will survive thanks to its special effect, but your Red-Eyes isn't so lucky."

The fireball blasted back towards Kaiser Glider, which prepared to counterattack. Golden flames began to build in its mouth.

His opponent glared at Kaiba, visibly miffed by the counterattack. "Interesting choice, but it's all for nothing. I activate a Spell- Troop Relief!"

The card's art was of several tired soldiers wearily getting into the back of a truck, assisted by several younger, fresher soldiers. As he spoke, his monsters vanished, the fireball missing its target.

"You know what it does, I assume?"

Kaiba nodded. "First, you declare a monster type. Then you return all monsters on your field with that type to your deck. You may then summon monsters from your deck that are of the same type as the monsters that you returned, as long as the total levels of the monsters you summon are exactly equal to the total levels of the cards you returned. You then must destroy one monster on the field. However, you lose your Battle Phase on the turn you use it."

"In short, I may now summon thirteen levels' worth of Dragons from my deck and destroy a monster, but I can't attack. Wasn't that easier to say?"

Kaiba's smirk was back. "Not really. Pick your dragons and let's get on with it."

Ancient Lamp shattered. At his command, Kaiser Glider and Red-Eyes reappeared on the field.

"I end my turn. Go ahead and show me your skill, Kaiba."

He drew, slamming a monster down even as he did so.

"I summon Kaiser Seahorse (1700) in attack mode!"

His new monster was some form of aquatic warrior, brandishing a gold, double-bladed polearm. Its skin was a blue and sea green, twisted with fins and webbed parts, like a fish.

"Then I play one card facedown and end my turn."

His opponent looked disappointed. "Is that all? I expected far more from the mighty Seto Kaiba."

His eyes flashed. "Are you going to make a move or just stand around and yap?"

He smiled, enjoying the baiting. "Touchy, aren't we?"

The glare Kaiba gave him could have struck him down on the spot. He shivered dramatically.

"God, if you cracked a smile it'd kill you. You're worse then Leon. In fact, you're even worse then _Goza_-"

He stopped. Kaiba was shaking in anger, looking like he was tempted to spring and rip a throat out.

"One more word. One more word and I assure you that you _will _regret it, for a very long time. You got that punk?!"

His rival sighed wearily as he picked up his card, not wanting to get into a war of words with the near-livid CEO.

_I'm starting to see why he picked you. You've got a lot in common, anger management notwithstanding._

The telltale glow was behind Kaiba again. He'd made the connection as to what it meant, but ignored it.

"Kaiser Glider, attack Kaiser Sea Horse!"

His monster took flight, soaring high into the air on its wings, half organic, half machine-like. White fire shot from its mouth, a pure blast of heat that seared Kaiba's retina. He shielded his eyes, pushing a button on his duel disk.

"Activate Shrink!"

An innocent, wide-eyed look crossed the face of his opponent.

"Oh no, whatever will I do?"

Kaiser Glider shrank to about half its original size, its attack strength dropping to a mere twelve hundred. Kaiser Seahorse threw his weapon through the flames, skewering it. The dragon screeched in agony and began to glow white.

_(Kaiba: 4000/???: 3500)._

The suffering of his dragon only drew a smirk from its owner. Kaiba was disgusted at such lack of concern, but didn't comment.

"Kaiser Glider's effect returns Kaiser Seahorse to your hand."

The anger on Kaiba's face was gone, replaced by his trademark smirk. The triumphant expression he wore whenever he got the better of anyone in his way.

"I discard a card to activate my facedown, Card Guard!"

A large, blue-red shield appeared in front of his monster. Kaiser Glider exploded in a titanic burst of sound and light, but the massive blast failed to reach him.

"This protects my monster from your special effect. Perhaps you should try some sort of _strategy_ next time?"

His opponent hissed in impatience.

"You want a strategy?! Red-Eyes, Inferno Fire Blast!"

A stream of flames erupted from his dragon's mouth, roasting his monster to little more then a skeleton. Kaiba flinched.

_(Kaiba: 3300/???: 3500)._

"I set a card and then play the Shallow Grave. Now we each choose a monster and resurrect it in facedown defence mode."

Two coffins rose up, one on each side of the field. Each deposited its ghastly cargo, the contents oblivious to the other player.

"I end my turn."

Kaiba drew. He studied his hand, contemplating a move.

_Hold on a moment, Kaiba._

He froze.

_What do you want this time?_

I'm just watching the show. Did you think I was going to sit around and wait for the end?

Kaiba didn't have an answer for that. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

_Is there a point to this visit?_

_Do not underestimate him. Two have already fallen by doing that, and I wouldn't have you meet the same fate. Go ahead and duel. But remember, I'll be watching._

"Get on with the duel, Kaiba-boy. My patience is wearing thin."

"Fine. First I flip the monster I had facedown into attack mode. Meet Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000)!"

With a roar and a cry, his beast flew free from the card, blasting skywards like a rocket. It filled the sky, seeming to dwarf both him and his monsters. It radiated a white light from its skin and scales, its azure eyes gleaming like sapphires in the dim light. It beat its wings, sending shockwaves everywhere, ready for battle.

"Of course…Card Guard. I should have guessed."

Kaiba was not a man to be surprised easily. He'd seen many things over the course of his life that most men would deem insane and impossible. But what happened next made even him blink, in something approaching shock.

His opponent began to clap. Real, non-sarcastic clapping. He was _applauding_ Blue-Eyes.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

"I missed the joke."

His opponent stopped clapping, but continued to stare at his dragon, as if transfixed.

"_Magnificent_. It truly is as stunning as the legends claim. I assure you Kaiba-boy, I'm not making jokes. I'm merely admiring this beautiful creature."

There was a hint of a smile on Kaiba's face. Evidently he'd found a kindred spirit.

"I only handle the best."

Kaiba could hear Leon's voice in the back of his head again, warning him not to screw up.

I know what I'm doing.

_I know. But you're not the only one who knows. Finish him off!!_

_I don't take orders. Especially not from bloodthirsty psychotics._

On his end, Leon slammed the link closed. He clenched his fists, then let his breath out slowly, trying to calm down.

_Bloodthirsty psychotic, am I? He'll pay for that one later, assuming he wins. What a jerk!_

Kaiba raised a hand to his great white beast. It seemed to hunger, to _want_ to be used. Kaiba had no intentions of making it have to wait.

"Blue-Eyes, attack his Red-Eyes with White Lightning attack!"

A blue-white beam of energy crackled around his dragon's jaws. It roared with the thrill of battle, letting the blast loose. It shot through Red-Eyes, incinerating it completely.

_(Kaiba: 3300/???: 2900)._

His opponent uttered a curse. Kaiba wagged a finger patronisingly.

"I end my turn. Maybe next round, you'll give me a challenge."

"Why don't I just tear out your throat, you _arrogant bastard?!_"

Kaiba's eyes widened in shock. A black aura sprang up and surrounded his opponent's body. It choked his body in darkness, surrounding it with a polluting, vile smoke. Kaiba recoiled from the sight.

"What the hell _are _you?"

It jeered, the eyes turning jet-black with rage.

"Listen to me carefully, you egomaniacal _freak. _You think I can't see my other half standing behind you, watching you try and fail to beat me? Of course I can! _He's me!_ You want to know who I _am_?"

He threw out his hand, stabbing a finger at the space behind Kaiba. He glanced over his shoulder. It took some time, but he eventually could make out a ghostly, shadowy shape. He recognised it as Leon, identical to his opponent save for the lack of anger and hate. It smiled quietly, as if with regret.

_Sorry Kaiba, I can't stay here any more. It's up to you now._

_It was always up to me._ Kaiba pointed out bluntly. The remark drew a smile from Leon.

_Typical. One last annoyance then. He can't lie in here. Twist, manipulate, and cheat, but not lie. You see, it's his mind as well. That may be to your advantage…_

It began to fade, becoming even more insubstantial. The smile disappeared.

_You'll win, Kaiba. You have God on your side. One god in particular…_

Kaiba nodded, understanding. Leon's projection vanished. His opponent began to laugh, a cackle filled with madness.

"Idiot. That's all he ever was. I am the Leon without all the petty restraints he puts on himself. He- no, _we-_ could be the greatest power mankind has ever known; if only he'd accept it- accept _me_. But he's weak…his stupid morality shackles him. He chose to lock me away rather then take what I had to offer. So now…I'm going to do the job myself. Since he's gone, I don't mind telling _you_ this, Kaiba-boy."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what?"

"Leon's not really _here_. He's in a bloody coma!"


	14. Chapter XIII

_He's in a bloody coma!_

White padded walls.

Sickly sweet smiles.

The stench of disinfected rooms.

Souls torn from the vessels.

One heart moves.

Barely.

One heart breaks.

"It'll be ok, sweetie. He'll make it."

Lies.

_The jaws of the abyss are open wide. What will you do when they won't close?_

The darkness smiled.

_Soon, my dear. Soon you'll be all mine. You'll walk by my side as my black queen._

_I will give you what you truly want._

She didn't want to believe him.

But she did.

_(Kaiba: 3300/???: 2900)._

From his pseudo- private box, Leon sighed and took stock of the current situation.

Things weren't going bad. In actuality, the duel was going as good as could be hoped for. Kaiba, his unlikely defender called on the whim of a…a friend? Leon wasn't sure.

He examined the game more closely. It was Kaiba's move, and he had three cards in his hand. Despite having no cards facedown, he _did_ have his trademark monster in play, still one of the most powerful in the whole game.

_Blue-Eyes White Dragon… _

That was the one reason he wasn't worried for Kaiba. Whomever he duelled, Kaiba was almost always in a good position as long as he had access to those cards. However, as he'd rather cuttingly told Kaiba himself, that didn't mean he was invincible, and it was obvious from seeing his other half duel that he was no slouch at it. However, his current position was truly unenviable, having nothing in play but one facedown card, and no cards in his hand.

_They're both far more skilled then me… _he realised. Strangely, that thought didn't bother him. With any luck, he wouldn't need to do anything after Kaiba won.

With any luck.

He turned his eyes back to the game.

Kaiba was feeling smug. His opponent had lost almost all his cards to his superior skills, and he was almost certain the only card he _did_ have left in play wasn't going to help him get out of this mess. After all, it hadn't stopped his Blue-Eyes from blasting him into next week.

"I place one card facedown, and summon Lord of Dragons in defence mode (1100). That's all for now."

A vaguely purple aura surrounded Kaiba's Blue-Eyes as his monster knelt down. His opponent looked calmer now, but on the inside he was positively seething with anger. He tore a card from his deck, almost ripping it in half.

_What the hell is it about this guy? Why him?_

Whatever Leon's reasons, the parasite was certain of one thing: it was a very good choice. Kaiba had almost had him on the ropes in that last move.

Almost. He flicked an eye across the field, analysing. He caught sight of Kaiba's smirk. A burning desire to shove it off his face flickered within him. He gestured to his facedown card, which flipped up at the touch of a button. Kaiba's grin faltered, but didn't vanish.

_At least it's a reaction._

"I activate the Trap, Kingslayer!"

The card's art depicted Claudius from _Hamlet_. He was grinning evilly, pouring poison into a sleeping man's ear.

"This card allows me to destroy one monster on the field. Following that, we both summon a monster from our hands. Since I cannot target Blue-Eyes, I destroy Lord of Dragons!"

Three long knives flashed out of the card, skewering Kaiba's monster. The purple aura surrounding Blue-Eyes vanished. Kaiba, oddly, did not react. He merely took the last card out of his hand and flipped it around.

"I summon a second Blue-Eyes (3000)!"

Upon seeing it, his opponent's eyes went wide.

"Oh, _bugger._"

In a flash, a second white dragon appeared behind Kaiba. The two monsters flanked him, like the bodyguards of a king. The smirk grew even wider.

"Not even that punk Wheeler would have let me do _that._ You're really out of your league, yo-"

"Enough of your damn talk, Kaiba! I use the effect of my trap to summon Smaug the Magnificent (???)!"

His new creature was a dragon, but not one Kaiba had ever seen before. It was a fierce orange in colour, about as large as Kaiba's Blue-Eyes. A pair of dark wings swept from its long, sinuous body. The front of its chest was _covered_ in a breastplate of gold and jewels, forming odd armour. Its jaw was long and thin, almost like a crocodile. Its arms and legs were stubby, ending in wicked, hooked claws. Hot coals gleamed in the eye sockets. It roared, flames shooting from its nostrils.

"What on earth is that thing?!"

His opponent sighed.

"Kaiba, for being the guy who beat the best chess player in the _world_ when he was twelve, you're pretty stupid. Smaug the Magnificent can select one monster in play and copy all of its attack points. Also, Smaug is not destroyed when it battles a monster with equal attack power. So…it's impossible to defeat in battle, basically."

He stuck his tongue out childishly at Kaiba.

"Nyah-nyah, Kaiba-boy. I copy all three thousand of your dragon's power!"

At his command, Smaug began to uncoil. More like a serpent then a dragon, it seemed to _hiss_ at Kaiba. An orange glow surrounded one of his dragons, causing Smaug's power to skyrocket to three thousand. He raised an arm to his dragon.

"Smaug the Magnificent, destroy Blue-Eyes!"

Golden flames streamed from his monster's long maw, met by a ferocious blast of white lightning from Blue-Eyes. The two attacks seemed to struggle for supremacy, both wyrms roaring with the strain. Slowly, however, Smaug's power began to tell. The lightning flickered and went out, leaving Blue-Eyes to be incinerated. Kaiba was left with his facedown card and his other Blue-Eyes.

_Wonder why he didn't stop my attack?_

"So much for the legendary engine of destruction." He mocked. "Your move."

Kaiba was almost incandescent with rage. Far from inspiring fear in his opponent, however, it merely drew another laugh. He drew, almost dropping the card in his anger. He shoved it into his duel disk roughly.

"I switch Blue-Eyes to defence mode (2500). Then I summon another monster in defence mode and end my turn."

His opponent smirked. "Not much else you can do, eh Kaiba-boy?"

"Shut up!"

He shrugged. "As you wish. I draw!"

As he picked up his card, his serpentine dragon began to glow a bright orange. His duel disk also began to glow with an identical colour. Seeing Kaiba about to ask, he explained.

"Smaug has another effect. While it remains face-up on the field, I draw one card during my Standby Phase."

His duel disk spat a card out, giving him a total of two in his hand. The levity was gone from his face- he was serious about this now, as cold and calculating as arctic ice.

"Smaug the Magnificent, destroy his second Blue-Eyes!"

Another fireball erupted from his dragon's jaws, leaving little more then a charred skeleton behind. His eyes danced with glee at the sight.

"Your move, Kaiba."

By this point, Kaiba felt himself beginning to lose his cool. A blast from Blue-Eyes was the last thing most people who played him saw, but this rat had destroyed _two_ of the three with barely any effort. He took a deep breath, steadying his hands.

Leon was worried. His other half had the luck of the devil.

Or the skill of it.

"Come on…" he breathed.

"Aw, what's wong Kaiba-boy? Afwaid of the big bad Dwagon?"

His opponent was mocking him in a horrible baby voice. Kaiba let his face fall back into a sneer.

"Sticks and stones. Time to abandon the sinking ship, you rat. I draw!"

His card was Pot of Greed. Kaiba took stock of the current situation. His facedown monster and his set Magical Trick Mirror wasn't going to be enough to stop Smaug, and he had nothing else in his hand.

"Might want to pray to Lady Luck, Kaiba. Or maybe your babe Kisara…"

He stopped, seeing the murderous look on Kaiba's face. Goading him was fun, but he had to resist the temptation. Pot of Greed's card had appeared in play. He gritted his teeth.

"Of course. The hero always wins…"

Kaiba picked up his two cards. His face split into what passed for a grin.

"I sacrifice my facedown monster. This lets me summon my Dragon Seeker in attack mode (2000)!"

His monster shattered, to be replaced by an odd, grey-green winged creature. It beat its wings, sending a shockwave of wind across the field.

"Did you lose your capacity to add? Smaug still has all three thousand points it copied from your Blue-Eyes, which is more then enough to wipe your little pet out."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

"Is it?"

As if on cue, his monster beat its leathery wings again. Another blade of wind scythed through the air, slashing Smaug the Magnificent in twain. His opponent howled as the top half of his dragon literally fell away.

"You son of a-"

"Dragon Seeker destroys one dragon on the field when it is summoned!"

Kaiba's expression was triumphant. "Attack him directly!"

A horrible grating sound of claw on flesh and bone filled the air. His opponent was knocked flying, landing heavily.

"D-damn it…"

_(Kaiba: 3300/???: 900)_

He spat out a cloud of blood. Dragon Seeker had slashed him across the face, leaving three thick lines of scarlet. He coughed, shaking hard. Kaiba didn't bother baiting him.

As he staggered to his feet a thought flashed through both his and his opponent's minds.

_You're pretty good, you know that?_

He drew.

Three cards in the hand. Nothing left in play. Less then a thousand points left.

And he still fought on.

Kaiba narrowed his eyebrows.

_For once,_ he thought, _I may enjoy myself._

"I set two cards facedown. I end my turn."

His expression was oddly colourless. He was taking this more seriously then ever. Kaiba didn't give it much thought. He was preoccupied with ending the game. He flicked the top card off his deck in a flashy manner.

_Excellent. _

His opponent seemed to have caught Kaiba's expression.

"Activate Kingslayer!"

The familiar Trap spewed forth three blades, impaling Dragon Seeker and destroying it.

"You know the drill, Kaiba. We both pick a monster in our hands and summon it, no strings. Now, considering the way your eyes light up a second ago, we both know you've got the last Blue-Eyes in your hand, right?"

Kaiba nodded. He placed the card onto his duel disk. The last white dragon appeared on the field in attack mode, screaming for the thrill of the fight. His opponent grinned.

"How very predictable. I use my Trap to summon Exploder Dragon in defence mode (0)!"

His monster, a small, black dragon took its position in play. It clutched a spiky cannonball in its scaly claws, hissing softly.

Kaiba was trapped and he knew it.

_If I attack, I'll lose my Blue-Eyes and be wide open! But if I don't, he'll just attack me on his turn! What can I do!?_

He ran through his deck mentally, images flashing through his mind's eye. Card after card, but nothing came to mind that hadn't already been played. Then…

_That's it._

The answer had been in his hand all along.

"You going to make a move? I'm dying of old age over here, Kaiba-boy."

Kaiba just glared. He slotted a card into his duel disk.

"I activate Spell Sanctuary!"

The card's art depicted an old manor. A bright light descended from the thick clouds above it. Spell Sanctuary would allow both players access to any Spell card left in their respective decks. And he had the just the card to get around this lock.

"Ah…how clever. What card will you take?"

Kaiba removed his deck and began to cycle through the cards. He grabbed one, Silent Doom, and shuffled it. He noticed his opponent had already picked his card. He didn't recognise the artwork, showing a scarlet dragon's head emerging from a golden mirror.

"Blue-Eyes, destroy Exploder Dragon with White Lightning attack!"

His opponent laughed. "Thanks for taking my bait. Exploder Dragon, counterattack!"

His dragon flew straight through the jet of white light, disintegrating. The cannonball tumbled through the air, exploding a few seconds later just in time to catch Blue-Eyes in the blast.

"Nice try."

Kaiba began to roar with arrogant laughter. His opponent looked at him, surprised.

"Am I missing something?"

Kaiba's eyes gleamed. "Of course you are. I play Silent Doom, which lets me resurrect my Blue-Eyes in defence mode. That means no direct attacks for you, so tough luck."

His dragon reappeared with a joyous roar, beating its great white wings fiercely. His opponent scowled.

"Bah. Good move, but not good enough. You done?"

Kaiba nodded.

_Why is he acting like we're pals?_

"Why indeed, Kaiba. Why indeed."

He picked up his next card, giving him a total of two.

"Damn, I'm good. I activate Future Fusion!"

A massive, purple hole appeared in the black sky above them, a tear in the fabric of space. A ferocious wind sprang up, threatening to suck them all into its embrace.

"What's going on?" Kaiba roared, barely hearing himself above the tumult.

"Future Fusion lets me send monsters that are used in a fusion from my deck to the graveyard, and in two turns I can summon it!" his opponent yelled back. "So I'll send my Meteor Dragon and another Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

As he tossed the cards, their silhouettes were sucked into the gaping pit in the skies. The wind intensified, nearly blowing Kaiba off his feet. The madness was back in his opponent's eyes. He held the final card in his hand towards the heavens, pointing it like a sword.

_One's a psychotic and the other's a manic. God, I'm starting to miss Yugi and the dweeb squad._

"Time for my last card! Dragon's Mirror lets me remove monsters for a fusion from the game, and summon out their combination! So I remove the monsters I just dumped to summon my strongest dragon yet, the _Meteor Black Dragon!_"

The great hole in the sky seemed to shake uncontrollably. The heavens cracked with thunder as the great tear vomited forth a creature unlike anything Kaiba had seen. It seemed to be beyond huge- it was _monstrous_. Vivid purple skin, cracked, mottling, and bleeding like lava. Short, stubby wings that seemed barely able to support its massive bulk. A long neck, spines sticking out of the back of it. A long orange stripe ran up the centre of the thing's chest. A long purple tail thrashed behind it.

It bellowed a battle cry as it slammed into the ground, throwing rocks everywhere. Kaiba froze.

"Like my new creature? Thirty-five hundred points of absolute _brutality._ And all of it is coming your way! Volcanic Eruption Flame!"

With Blue-Eyes in defence mode, she-it- stood no chance. She was buried under a current of molten fire. Kaiba scowled. His opponent literally danced at the devastation his monster's attack caused.

"Three for three, Kaiba-boy! I can wipe you out next round, since we both know that facedown's not going to save your ass. After all, I've blasting you at least twice since you put it in play. It's over!"

Kaiba merely smiled his arrogant smile. All three of his Blue-Eyes were gone, yet he wasn't worried.

Because that's just what he _wanted._

"Did it ever occur to your feeble mind that I might have just been waiting for the right time?"

"Yeah, right." He scoffed. "And I'm the Queen of France."

Kaiba pressed a button on his duel disk. His facedown card flipped up.

"Oh. You weren't kidding."

Kaiba laughed cynically. "I don't kid. Ever."

"I'm starting to see that."

Magical Trick Mirror. It would allow Kaiba to activate one Spell card in his opponent's graveyard.

Dragon's Mirror.

Three arcs of light blasted out of Kaiba's duel disk, twisting together like a ribbon. His opponent watched, fearful, as they combined, forming a great, three-headed wyrm. A runic symbol adorned each of the three heads. It was far larger then the purple dragon, and far more deadly. Both dragons roared at each other, the sound deafening. The scene looked like some kind of apocalyptic nightmare, especially with the black vortex in the sky.

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon Vs Meteor Black Dragon.

Winner takes all.

_All we need is a few ruined buildings. _Kaiba thought, amused.

"You going to finish me off with that, or go for the big finish?" his opponent asked, remarkably blasé about his impending death.

Kaiba snorted derisively and picked up a card.

"Normally I don't do requests, but…maybe just this once. I activate Card of Demise!"

The card's art showed the rather gruesome image of a man with his hand locked in a guillotine. His opponent raised an eyebrow.

"Charming. Since you have nothing left in your hand, draw your five cards."

Kaiba did. His opponent tapped his foot impatiently.

"Mind if we get on with this? I'm anxious to be done- I've wasted enough time on you. Even if you are one of the best duellists I've ever met."

Kaiba blinked. Was that a _compliment?_

He inclined his head. "Then let's get on with the finale."

His opponent nodded. "Before the last curtain falls, the hero must take his bow."

"Spare me the drama, please? I play Monster Reborn to revive a monster in my Graveyard, the Sword of Soul!"

A long, bronzed blade shimmered into existence, its point embedded in the ground. Kaiba took another card from his hand.

"Next I activate my Fiend Sanctuary!"

His opponent suddenly looked agitated.

"That creates a Metal Fiend Token! Why…what the hell do you want with _three_ monsters?!"

Kaiba did not answer. His fingers caressed one of the other cards he had drawn lovingly. The most powerful card he would ever hold.

"I sacrifice Sword of Soul, my Metal Fiend Token, and my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Uh-oh. I think this is going to hurt!"

Kaiba's monsters transformed into a great pillar of blue light. Lightning began to flash all around him, engulfing his duel disk in electricity. He was cackling in triumph. The expression was very familiar.

Too familiar. It took him a while to place it from Leon's memory, but he found it.

The blue light began to form a shape. Thick wings, blue skin, as large as a house. The face of a demon.

A shape from hell. The light clicked on.

"You can't…"

Kaiba was euphoric. "I can. I summon Obelisk the Tormentor!"

The blue light erupted, revealing the sealed god. It flexed its huge muscles and bellowed, the scream strong enough alone to shake the core of a duellist. The iron-bronze Sword of Soul appeared in its mighty hand, boosting its attack strength by a thousand thanks to that monster's own special effect. It dwarfed Meteor Black Dragon.

"Five thousand points. Six hundred more then you have."

He turned his back on his opponent.

"Obelisk, Fist of Fate."

_Job's done._

_(Kaiba: 3300/???: 0)._

His god crushed his opponent with one swing. The fallout sent him sprawling, hurling him onto his back. He landed, quivering. The shock made him physically sick, causing him to vomit as soon as his Life Points hit zero. Through the trembling, he saw Kaiba beginning to fade away, along with his cards.

_Of course. The task is finished. But Jesus, I'm going to murder Leon for this._

"K-Kaiba…"

He coughed, sending fluid everywhere. Kaiba stopped.

"What?"

"Nice duel."

Kaiba closed his eyes briefly.

"Yeah."

Blackness began creeping into the corner of his vision.

"You know it won't stop me?"

"Yeah."

Kaiba was almost completely gone now. He laughed hollowly.

"_He_ knew. This changes nothing."

He could barely see now.

"Then why send you?"

"I think he wanted to see how you would fair against me."

_That's all?_

He knew it was true. That was all. Kaiba was smirking again.

"What?"

"You know what's coming next, right?"

"Aye. It's the last act before the curtain falls."

"Funny that I'm rooting for the villain."

And with that, he was gone. And it was only then that his opponent let unconsciousness take him.

Leon stood.

He didn't expect Kaiba to be able to destroy this thing. Villains don't give up when you beat them at Duel Monsters.

_At least they shouldn't._

He looked around at his heart.

Soon, it would be a battleground.

_It always was._

Taylor was crying. Stupid, she knew. In the middle of all this, it shouldn't be the crying that irked her. But right now, it was all she wanted to do. Sit in a dark corner, away from the world, and sob her heart out.

Because he wouldn't come.

She'd be left alone.

She'd rot.

She was losing herself.

She couldn't resist his embrace.

_He destroyed me. _

_It destroyed me._

_I destroyed me._

"And its going to destroy you." She whispered.

"Don't let it."


	15. Chapter XIV

_Tired of being what you want me to be…_

_Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface…_

"Enjoy the show, ladies and gentlemen."

It smiled lazily.

"Every day you fight this war. Every single day. And you always lose. You can't stop it."

"You can't stop _me._"

_(Leon: 1400/???: 4000)._

"Damn you!"

Blood was trickling into his eyes. He almost dropped his cards, his hands were shaking so badly. His face was cut and bruised from that last attack. His opponent snickered, still wearing _his_ face.

"Give up yet?"

"Never!"

It sighed dramatically.

"Of course you don't. You're too thick-headed to stop. Not until you're left bleeding and beaten on the ground. Maybe when you lose you'll understand that. Of course, you probably won't care."

Leon did not listen. He drew, slowly. He was facing Kaiser Glider and two Red-Eyes Black Dragons, all with 2400 attack points. He had used up every card he had had in play blocking those monsters last round, but he had what he needed in his hand.

"I activate Frenzied Beast Ritual!"

A gaping black hole appeared in the centre of the floor. An animal's scream shot through the air.

He skimmed through his deck, finding the card he was looking for.

"This allows me to send Beast-type monsters from my deck to my Graveyard until I have six level's worth, and then I can summon a Ritual monster! So goodbye Manticore of Darkness, and hello Frenzied Silverback (2600)!"

His winged beast was offered as a sacrifice to the pit, roaring in anger. A great, black gorilla hauled its way out. A long stripe of silvery hair ran down its back. Its arms were like great pillars of iron, with great rippling muscles. It beat its hands against its chest and bellowed at the top of its lungs. His opponenet merely chuckled.

"Ooh, look at the big monkey. Monkey want a banana?"

Leon ignored him, focusing on the field.

"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode (1600). And he gives himself a Spell Counter, which boosts his attack by three hundred (1900)!"

His armoured knight unsheathed his sword and angled it up to guard. It was brimming with barely suppressed energy. Looking at it, Leon frowned.

_Something's not right here. I don't run Tribute monsters…so what the hell was Manticore of Darkness doing in my deck?_

The abyss frowned. It would do him no good if Leon figured it out so easily.

"You put it in to face him. You needed more power."

It listened for a moment, then nodded and smiled, satisfied.

That would do, for the moment.

_I've become so numb…_

_I can't feel you there…_

_Become so tired, so much more aware…_

_That's right. I put it in just for this duel. I needed more power._

He paused, surveying the field.

_And I have all the power I need._

"Frenzied Silverback, activate your special ability and attack all three of his monsters!"

His monster charged, swinging its arms like pile drivers. First one, then the second, then the third dragon all fell to its swinging fists. His opponent gasped with pain.

_(Leon: 1400/???: 3400)._

"My Kaiser Glider's effect returns your brainless animal to your hand." His opponent choked out. He put a hand to his ribs, wincing. Frenzied Silverback vanished. Leon gritted his teeth, annoyed.

"Breaker, attack!"

"Argh!"

His knight slashed his opponent across the face. Blood flowered across its face. Leon winced, in spite of himself.

_That'll sting in the morning._

_(Leon: 1400/???: 1500)._

It straightened up. It, amazingly, was grinning.

"You done?"

Leon nodded. The grin grew, changing into a sadistic sneer.

"You're going to die now. I activate Silent Doom!"

A ghostly arm appeared from the card, plunging into the dirt at his feet. It drew a white ball of light from the hole, and vanished. The white ball glowed, forming into the shape of one of his Red-Eyes Black Dragons. It took its place on the field in defence position, drawing its wings in front of it for protection. His opponent took another card from its hand. He dangled it like a fish on a line, taunting him.

"This card is Inferno Fire Blast. If I play it, you lose. How does it feel knowing I hold your existence in the palm of my hand?"

"You're bluffing." Leon said, braver then he felt.

It flipped the card around.

"Am I?"

The card was indeed Inferno Fire Blast. His heart sank.

"You going to beg for mercy?"

Leon's eyes narrowed. "Bite me" he hissed.

It shrugged.

"Bite _this._"

It slammed the card into its duel disk- _my duel disk_, Leon thought. The dragon unfurled its wings. Its scarlet eyes gleamed hungrily. A ball of crimson flame began to build in its mouth.

"You're going straight to hell, Leon. And you're _never_ coming back."

"I'll save you a seat." He spat angrily.

Its face darkened.

"Kill him."

All of this- _all_ of it- _and he'd failed at the last._ It was sickening. A fireball of grotesque size blasted straight towards him. He closed his eyes.

_Sorry, Taylor. _

He felt the flesh sear from his bones, running like melted wax away from his face. His eyes were ruined instantly, his hair and clothes set aflame. His duel disk could not withstand the flames, letting loose a vile, acrid stench as it began to dissolve. He screamed, and he felt the flames run down his throat, burning him alive from the inside out. He did not see the darkness consume his sight, did not feel what was left of him fall to the ground.

He was gone.

The abyss laughed. It had enjoyed that.

"Caught in a forever spiralling hell…soon you'll be nothing."

It watched him hungrily.

"And then I will live again."

_(Leon: 2000/???: 4000)_

"You didn't want me any more. You didn't _need _me any more. So you locked me away once I'd saved your precious _bitch_, and all I could do was whisper the truth in your ears. I thought I'd go mad, not being able to wrap my hands around your throat!"

It paused.

"But soon, I'll be able to do that. When the light in your eyes dims and dies, will you realise your brought it on yourself? We could have been great. Together, we could have had it _all, _including her! Isn't that what you want?"

It was painful for Leon to breathe, but he did it anyway.

"Maybe it was once. But right now…I've accepted that she doesn't want me. All I want to do right now is win this and go home."

It laughed. Leon's glare just seemed to bounce off.

"Dear Lord on high, you're stupid. Thing is, mate, is that she _does._ She just doesn't have a clue that _you_ do."

His eyes widened. "You're lying."

"Am I? Why would I? It's not as if you'll ever see her alive again."

That thought, however chilling it was, was not lost on him.

"I created you." He said, quietly. "I can destroy you."

It shook its head- _his_ head, Leon thought, angry- slowly. It bared its teeth in an evil grin.

"You are welcome to try. My turn!"

He picked the top card off his deck fastidiously, adding it to the rest of his cards.

"I sacrifice my Exploder Dragon to summon the mighty Summoned Skull!"

It reared up, leering at him through bony teeth. Lightning crackled between its jagged arms. Long, spiny claws adorned each of its fingers. Great, bat-like wings swept from its shoulders. Its face was like a grinning demon, evil and malevolent. Three gigantic claws sprang from its thick legs.

"Summoned Skull, direct attack. Lightning Strike!"

The electricity began to swell into a cloud, bulging with energy like water flowing over the edge of a cup. It eclipsed everything else, until it was all Leon could see. He was blinded by it, his eyes burned by the total brightness.

It was over.

The blast erupted from the cloud, smashing into him and tossing him aside. He was the raft and it was the storm. His black hair stood on end comically, stray bolts running along his skin like static. He folded like a puppet whose strings had been cut, writhing and screaming in pain. He twitched uncontrollably where he lay.

"Shocking, isn't it?"

_(Leon: 0/???: 4000)._

He did not hear. He could not.

The eye of the abyss was elsewhere. The torture had stopped.

For now.

She hung, naked before its gaze, lost in the black, airless void. She was too weak to speak, or even think. She just…hung.

She'd lost, she remembered that. She remembered blazing heat and a great, black dragon. Why she was there, she did not know. She just was. A hazy mental picture seemed to be hanging in front of her, like an oil painting in style.

A blazing volcano was depicted, lava streaming down from the mouth. A man stood, watching it. He was dressed in a long, black coat. His hair was black and heavily streaked with scarlet. His face was ruined and ghoulish, pale as chalk and marked by several nasty wounds. His right eye was just _gone_, leaving an empty socket behind. His left was swollen and veined, giving him a slightly alarming look. The remainder of his clothing was also jet-black, complete with boots and duelling gloves.

_Does the Grim Reaper know you raided his wardrobe?_

She blinked. Where had _that_ come from?

In her head, the picture was captioned. Just one word. Maybe a name?

She traced it with her mind's eye, feeling more then seeing.

"Angel."

_I've become so numb,_

_I can't feel you there…_

He watched the lava gush from the mouth of the volcano with his single, blurry eye. It looked like blood weeping from a wound.

He had sinned. He knew this. He knew exactly what he'd done, and there wasn't a power on heaven or earth that would- that _could_- make him forget it. But he did not speak of it. Though it had split his heart in two, had hollowed him out inside there was no need to let anybody else see the damage.

No need to associate with what he had been, before.

"Long time no see."

His breath came hard. He had known that voice once, an eternity ago. He felt her hug him from behind, her arms wrapped around his chest. He closed his eyes, savouring the feeling for as long as he could. It made him feel…made him feel more _alive. _Something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

Finally, she let go. But still, he did not turn around to face her. He did not believe that it could _be_ her.

But of course, it was. He sighed.

"Stop torturing me, Taylor. You're dead, ok? You died a long time ago. I know that it was my fault. Every night I see you screaming behind my eyes. There's nothing you can say to me now. I'm just…just a bloody shell. So just…just let me be, ok?. Leave me in peace with my hell."

She did not move.

"I can't. I need your help."

He sighed.

"What do you want from me? I can't bring you back."

Her eyes seemed to plead with him.

"Play your part. Save the person you were."

Can't you see that you're smothering me? Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control… 

"Boss, no!"

"Sir, you must get up!"

"Come on, dude! You can beat this guy!"

_(Leon: 800/???: 4000). _

These guys are right…I have to get up! 

His three Nimble Momonga cheered from the field as he stood. He forced his hands to stop shaking.

It merely laughed at him. Its lips were pulled back in a sneer. It folded its arms, an arrogant look on its face.

"Don't you know when to quit?"

Leon narrowed his eyes. "I'm not giving up."

It shrugged lazily.

"Then it seems I must put you down like the dog you are."

"You won't win. This is the last stop for you, bodysnatcher."

Its eyes widened, comically. "Oh dear! Such a powerful threat. I do believe I'm paralysed with fear!"

"Shut up!"

The laughter vanished from its face, replaced by an horrible smirk. It made his face look twisted and ugly, almost _evil_. There was a disturbing familiarity to the maliciousness.

"Forgive me," it replied darkly, "But this pound of flesh is _mine._ And I intend to keep it. Activate Flash Flare Blast!"

His Red-Eyes reared up, thrashing its wings wildly, its eyes gleaming. A blinding jet of flames erupted from his dragon's mouth, spraying deadly fire everywhere. He shielded his eyes and cursed as the stench of burning flesh and hair assailed his nostrils. When the smoke cleared, all three of his Nimble Momonga were gone, and their special effects weren't kicking in.

"You've got one turn before you die. Make your peace with the gods, Leon."

He touched his deck lightly. The damage he'd taken was beginning to tell, but he had enough left in him to finish.

He had to. He looked at his opponent, staring straight into his own eyes.

"I did that a long time ago. It's time for me to take you down!"

If it was capable of such things, the abyss would have snorted.

_Take me down? Impossible. You're just a human._

It watched his defiant expression, amused.

_And yet you created me. How ironic._

If it were capable, this moment would be highly satisfying.

_Caught in my cycle of death and rebirth._

_What will you do when there is nothing left?_

_Become so tired…_

_So much more aware…_

Angel shook his head. "I can't."

"He needs your help!"

"And I'm not going to provide it!" he snapped.

"Why the hell not!?"

"Because he's not who I am anymore. He died when you did. Now leave me alone!"

She ignored him. "I'm not going to let this play out all over again. I can't."

"What the hell can _you_ do?" he scoffed.

She looked down at the ground. Far away, the volcano blasted another cloud of ash into the sky.

"Honestly? Maybe nothing. Maybe I can't stop it. But he means too much to me not to try."

She fell silent, like she'd said too much. Angel sighed.

"That's not who I am. Not since…"

Her eyes flashed, her fingers curling into fists. "You're so bloody full of it! Get over yourself, why don't you!? It doesn't _matter_ that he isn't you! The point is, he needs your help and you _owe_ it to him!"

Angel scowled. "I don't owe him anything."

Something inside her seemed to crack. Pain seeped through, lining her face.

"Don't you? Don't _we_?"

Angel knew she was right. She almost always was, and there was nobody else who could penetrate the walls he built around himself. But…

"I don't owe him anything." He repeated.

She stared at him, obviously not believing it. To tell the truth, he didn't believe it himself.

"I didn't think I'd have to do this." She muttered.

"Do what?"

She held up her left arm. Angel snorted.

"You must be joking. You know I won't fight you."

She smiled dangerously. "Then this won't take long."

She activated her duel disk. Angel took a step back.

"Ready, handsome?"

He chuckled, looking at her through his one eye. "Fine. You win, I help. You lose, you leave me in peace."

Her eyes were full of pain, but she looked determined. Angel shuffled his deck quickly and slotted it into his own duel disk, which was blackened and well-used.

"You really have to do this, don't you?"

Taylor nodded. "I do."

Angel closed his single eye. "Alright then."

With that, his duel disk armed.

_(Taylor: 4000/Angel: 4000)._

Angel rested a hand on his deck. "Me first?"

She nodded. A thought shot through his head just as he was about to flick a card into his hand. He stopped.

"There's no point."

She closed her eyes and smiled apologetically.

"I know. I've already won."

A massive, five-starred pentagram started connecting behind her. The ground shook with the force of an earthquake, but Angel knew it was far worse then that. An unearthly roar echoed around the landscape. The pentagram glowed a deep gold colour, and shook as something crashed against it, trying to break free. Angel was almost thrown off his feet.

The pentagram shook again, more violently that this time, almost buckling under the strain. Whatever it was keeping back was huge, all-powerful, and Angel knew exactly what it was.

The third strike cracked the barrier. The fourth sent it crashing down, leaving a gaping white hole in the air. A huge, golden arm reached out, held back by an impossibly thick chain. With another mighty roar, the creature- the _god-_ wrenched it free. Angel flinched as another arm grasped the edge of the portal, ripping through its bounds like a paper-chain. A pair of ridiculously broad legs, and a dull golden torso followed this.

Angel swallowed hard. This was very bad.

Tearing its head free of its confinement, the monstrous golden deity roared in triumph. It shook free of the last of its chains, channelling energy from the black clouds overhead. It radiated strength, rippling with suppressed power. Golden energy built in its palms, building until it was too painful to look at, obscuring the features of the beast. It leered at Angel, sure in its omnipotence. Behind it, he could see Taylor, illuminated in the glow. She was biting her lip, looking anxious.

"Exodia, obliterate." She said, softly.

The sealed god hit Angel with the force of an avalanche. He flew backwards, landing heavily on the ground with a _crack._ Exodia bellowed again, victorious, and vanished.

_(Taylor: 4000/Angel: 0)._

The bright light of the god faded away. Taylor stepped over to him and pulled him to his feet. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You cheated. You stacked your deck, didn't you?"

She suddenly looked sheepish. She smiled and nodded.

"Couldn't let you win. Sorry."

He groaned dramatically, running a hand through his long, black hair.

"I should have known you'd try something crazy like that."

She laughed. "I won. So you're going to help?"

He smiled. It was a real smile, too, like getting smashed by Exodia had healed something in him.

"Yeah. But if I die, I'm going to haunt your ass, you know?"

She grinned. Then without warning, she pulled him close to her and kissed him hard, passionately. He put his arms around her, losing himself in her warmth, her touch. Finally, she let go and pulled away from him. He did not meet her eyes.

"I love you, you know."

She nodded. "I love you too."

The abyss watched gleefully as Leon collapsed. A gaping red hole had opened up in his chest, smoking and raw. His hands were pressed over it in a pathetic attempt to stop the bleeding. It could see the bone-white of his spine through the wound, mangled like a car in a collision.

_How very gruesome._

He soon stopped trembling and lay still, a small puddle of blood beginning to surround his corpse. The abyss prepared to summon the shadow magic that would allow him to replay the event, but then stopped.

Something was wrong.

There was a presence- unnoticeable until now, though how it had masked itself it did not know. It was there now. It seemed to be approaching, drawing closer.

It sought to do battle. That much was obvious, though the notion was ridiculous. Challenge the abyss? Challenge the darkness within this one's soul to the darkest of all games, with the highest of all stakes? It was enough to make it laugh, if it were not beyond such things.

_INTERLOPER, _it declared, _YOUR TIME IS UP._

_And I know…_

_I may end up, failing too…_

_But I know…_

_You were just like me with someone disappointed in you…_

Angel armed his duel disk. He stood, tense, immobile, waiting for the attack. He stood in absolute, total blackness. There was nothing around, no markers, no life at all. The voice had seemed to come from all sides, impossibly loud and dominating. He stood his ground, his ebony coat fluttered slightly, settling into place around his ankles.

"I don't have all day. Get out here so I can pay my debt."

_FOOLISH HUMAN. YOUR SOUL SHALL BE EATEN BY THE DARK._

"Wouldn't be the first time…" he muttered softly. "I beat you once. I can do it again."

_YOU STAND NO CHANCE AGAINST ME. YOU UNDERSTAND THE RULES OF THIS GAME?_

"Of course. But this is no game. This is war."

YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME, HUMAN. I SUMMON SKULL KNIGHT! 

At its command, a large, zombie-like monster strode forward, out of the darkness. It was huge, clad in armour made from white bone. It carried a large sword and shield, both a dirty white. The sword looked like it had been cannibalised from animal bone, the shield was carved in the motif of a snarling face. Red horns jutted from its small, demonic head. It beat its weapon against its shield, chittering madly like some kind of strange insect.

The strange monster lunged at him as the abyss bellowed a command.

KILL THE INTERLOPER! 

"Activate Negate Attack!"

A swirling hole materialised in the air before Angel. As Skull Knight thrust its blade at him, trying to gut him, the weapon became caught in the vortex, blasting it back.

Angel knew he had to act fast. This was by no means a normal duel. He did not need to draw a card to use it, nor did he have Life Points as such. Instead, he could call up any card in his deck that he wanted to use. As there was no system of points, this war- and it was most certainly a war- would only end when one of them was too weak to continue.

"I call for Moisture Creature!"

A strange, white blob with eyeballs materialised in front of him. It looked at him silently, but warmly. Angel smiled.

"Alright, old pal. Attack Skull Knight!"

STUPID HUMAN. I ACTIVATE WIDESPREAD RUIN! 

"No!"

Moisture Creature exploded in a titanic blast of heat and sound.

SKULL KNIGHT, COUNTERATTACK! 

Temporality blinded, Angel couldn't react fast enough. Skull Knight almost split him in two with that massive blade. As it was, he was lucky enough- if that was the word- to just end up with a massive slash across the chest. Blood started weeping from it as he swore loudly.

_Skull Knight's attack is twenty-six hundred…so fourteen hundred or so left._

He had to cause some damage, and quickly. He was feeling weaker now, and not just from the carving he'd endured from that knight.

"Hydrogeddon!"

His grey dinosaur leaped into the dark, hissing at Skull Knight like a cat.

_TOO WEAK, HUMAN. SOON YOU WILL DIE._

"Put a sock in it! Activate Smashing Ground!"

At his command, a huge fist literally dropped from the sky, smashing Skull Knight flat and destroying it.

"Megamorph!"

His Hydrogeddon swelled to twice its usual size.

"Attack!"

The abyss shrieked in agony as his dinosaur shot a blast of water and gas in all directions. Angel smiled grimly.

"One more hit and you're done, creep."

_PERHAPS. BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE A CONCERN OF THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE._

Hydrogeddon shrank to half its original size, the negative backlash of Megamorph kicking in. Angel snarled.

ULTIMATE OBEDIENT FIEND, DESTROY HIM AND DEVOUR HIS SOUL! 

A gigantic, crimson monstrosity loomed out of the dark. Angel cursed angrily. It was truly hideous, with glistening red skin, horns coming out of both sides of its head, and a row of teeth that would've made a shark envious. Its bulk was almost all muscle, heaving with energy as it prepared to strike. A great gout of blood-red light erupted from its jaws, blasting Angel twenty feet away and disintegrating his monster.

_I WIN, HUMAN. YOU WERE A FOOL TO CHALLENGE THE ABYSS._

"I take it that the abyss is getting scared, then?"

He stood, clutching the wound in his chest with one hand. He glared, resolutely.

"Because I'm not done dancing yet."

_HOW CAN YOU STAND, HUMAN? YOU LOST!_

Angel chuckled, then immediately winced, putting a hand to his ribs.

"Mirage Ruler begs to differ, though you can be sure I'll be out if you hit me once more. But since I'm about to win, that means nothing."

YOU LIE! 

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips.

"Do I? I send the three Nimble Momonga from my deck to activate the effect of Gilford the Lightning, and destroy Ultimate Obedient Fiend!"

_I WON'T LET YOU, HUMAN! ULTIMATE OBEDIENT FIEND, ANNHILATE THIS FOOL AND BRING ME VICTORY!_

Another jet of scarlet light sprayed out from the monster of the abyss, but it never reached him. A huge blast of lightning shot down from the skies, intercepting the attack and creating a wall of electricity around Angel, shielding him. Standing in front of him was a muscled warrior, dressed partially in metallic armour and carrying a huge, two-handed blade he wielded dexterously.

NO! 

"You're finished! Gilford, wipe him out!" Angel yelled above the roar of Ultimate Obedient Fiend.

The abyss screamed in frustration as Gilford lifted his blade. Thunder boomed overhead as lightning ran down the sword like water. Ultimate Obedient Fiend roared deafeningly, but it was futile. Gilford leapt for it, bringing the weapon to bear brutally, ramming the sword up through it like a cleaver through meat. It bellowed in rage and pain as the lightning electrocuted it thoroughly.

_THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! I AM THE GREATEST POWER THAT EXISTS, HUMAN! YOU CANNOT DESTROY ME!_

Angel smiled. The job was done.

"Wanna bet?"

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Ultimate Obedient Fiend exploded in a ferocious blast, sending a virtual shockwave in all directions. Angel collapsed to one knee as the shadows began to clear.

He closed his eyes, panting for breath.

It was over.

'_Cause everything that you thought I would be…_

_Is falling apart…_

_Right in front of you… _

Leon opened his eyes. His eyes flicked around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

He was in a large theatre. He stood in one of the private boxes the rich and famous had, where they'd pretend to watch but in fact would just be concerned with more important things. The stage was concealed behind thick, scarlet curtains, and seats lined the space leading up to it.

"Like what I've done with the place?"

His eyes were drawn to the other box, across on the other side of the theatre. _He_ stood there, watching him, an amused look on his face. It still wore his body, though he looked somewhat the worse for wear. But it was most certainly he.

_Not he. IT._

"That punk did quite a number on me. Good call sending Angel after me. And I'm not even going to talk about Kaiba…"

Angel? That one-eyed freak? I never sent Angel after him… 

Suddenly, it hit him, like a bullet. "Where's Taylor? What did you do to her?"

He smiled, like a teacher who is pleased with a particularly apt pupil.

"All in good time. How'd you get Angel to bust you out of my web?"

His what? I never got Angel to do anything…but he needn't know that. 

He tried to remember, but all he could sense were blurry, out-of focus, horrible images. Him being slashed, burnt, injured.

Killed.

"Where the hell is she?" he demanded. His hands were balled into fists. It laughed and gestured to the stage.

"See for yourself."

The thick curtains swung back of their own accord, revealing a large platform that had been set up. And on the platform…

Her body was burnt and charred. Her scarlet hair was dangling weakly around her shoulders. Her face was a mess of cuts and bruises. A large, weeping slash ran along her right cheek, blood dripping down her face. Her clothes were ripped in a dozen places, like something had savaged her. Thick, black nails had been driven through her wrists and ankles, ripping flesh and leaving her to hang from the cross. Her eyes stared, sightless.

Crucified.

"As it began, so does it end. This is what happens to those who challenge my power."

It smiled as it said these words. Leon knew that here, now- in more ways then one- he truly was fighting himself.

_And I intend to win._

"You'll pay..." he hissed. He was cold now. Seeing her like that should have shocked him, but it didn't. Should have made him cry, but it didn't.

But it didn't.

He tore his eyes from the stage where she was displayed.

"Even dreams burn out, Leon. Are you ready to die?"

He looked at his duel disk. At his deck. He smiled, ruefully.

"I think I died a long time ago. Ever since you showed up, on that bloody awful night on that street, I haven't been able to live. I thought you could help me..."

An amused smirk crossed its face. "Are you telling me I didn't?"

Leon armed his duel disk.

"Maybe you did once. But that's all over now. It's time for you to get what you deserve."

The smile disappeared.

"One of us will."

He nodded. It slotted its deck into its duel disk, activating it._  
_


	16. Chapter XV

_Are we to be two immortal beings locked in an epic battle till judgement day when trumpets sound?_ – Hector Barbossa, The Curse of the Black Pearl.

_Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?_ – Davy Jones, _Dead Man's Chest._

_They know they face extinction. All that remains is where they make their final stand._

- Lord Cutler Beckett, _At World's End._

He stood at the back of the theatre, and watched. He could not be seen, could not be felt. His onyx coat, ruined by his fight with the abyss, was still wrapped around him. It was a source of familiarity in this place, the darkest of all that could ever exist.

For that, he thought to himself, was the truth. There was nothing worse then this. Point to all the horrors men had unleashed upon themselves, add them all up and it didn't come close to this. People sealed their pain inside themselves, unwilling or unable to bear it. He knew this; he'd done it himself. An eternity ago, just as he was doing it now.

Or, to be more precise, _watching_ himself do it.

He forced himself not to look at the theatre's stage. It was not long ago that he had held that person in his own arms. He'd promised her that he would watch how things turned out.

"You should watch. Somebody should bear witness to it."

"_You really care about him, don't you?"_

"_I care about you. And you're the same person."_

"_No. We aren't."_

_She stared, those lovely eyes trying to pierce the walls inside him. _

_Trying and failing._

"_Not yet."_

Seeing her like that, just a broken body displayed as an example, made Angel want to vomit. He looked up at the roof, where thy sky should have been. Its curved surface was inlaid with carvings, pictures of horrible, leering demons inlaid into the stones.

_How can one person's mind create all this?_

Of course, he knew exactly how, and also why. It sounded like something you'd read in a book: Abused Teenager Develops Evil Personality. It would almost be funny, if you took a step back from it. It was obvious how it would go, the kid defeats his alter ego and lives happily ever after. It could easily have _been_ a story, his whole life just a product of some idiot's sick imagination.

Perhaps one day it will be.

He had dispensed with his duel disk. It was no longer his job to fight. No longer his job to play the hero, and keep the evil villains at bay.

No. That was somebody else's job now. _His_ job.

To tell the truth, he almost felt sorry for him. The kid had been through hell and back while he was still a teenager. None of it was really his fault, he hadn't asked for any of this to happen. Yet it was hard to be sympathetic.

He looked at Leon. He whispered softly, even though there was no way he could be heard.

"I think you'll die today. From the ashes shall rise the new spirit."

He leaned against one of the vast pillars that held up the roof, settling into a comfortable position.

_Can you accept what is inside yourself, Leon? Can you accept your own creation?_

He raised his eyes to the battlefield.

For your sake, I hope so.

"Deals are for the devil, Leon. Maybe if you'd known, you wouldn't be in this mess."

It wore his face, his duel disk, his body. But not his words. Not his voice.

It was him, in so many ways. But it was not him.

My evil half. The other me.

"I know. But there's nothing I can do about that now. All I can do…all I can do right now is fix my mistake. Fix a fool's mistake."

It raised its eyebrows. "And how you going to pull that one off?"

Leon smiled. For once, it was a real smile, instead of the fakes he often used when talking to people.

"The same way I pull everything off."

It nodded.

"So be it."

_(Leon: 4000/???: 4000)._

"After you, brother."

Leon glared. "I'm not your brother."

It smiled chillingly. "Not yet."

They locked eyes for a moment, a silent battle of wills. Leon sighed.

"Have it your way."

He drew five cards from his deck. The smile disappeared from its face like lightning.

"Now for the main event…the end of the world as we know it."

Leon snorted. He picked up a sixth card.

Hmm.

A faded memory came, unbidden, into his thoughts.

_His trap flipped open. The card art was of a pair of scales carved from bone. A severed hand lay in one side of the scales, with the other empty. In the background, two men can be seen. One has his arm bared, while the other presses a knife to his wrist. There was a flash of light, and the Bloodbeast retreated._

"_Agony Balance negates your direct attack. More importantly, it combines our Life Points and splits that number in half. Then, our Life Points are fixed to that score. I have one hundred points, and you have thirty-nine. Added up, that's four thousand. Cut that in half, and we're now at…"_

_He winked again. "Two thousand each. Now cough up!"_

It's a little early for this one to be useful. Never mind, guess I'll have to do this instead. 

"For my first trick, I summon my Devil's Servant in attack mode (0)!"

A small, horned, bat flew out of his card, twittering in a high-pitched voice. It bared its tiny teeth, flapping its black wings threateningly.

"The gods themselves do tremble." It said dryly. "Is it going to suck my blood?"

"How about a card from your hand instead?"

On cue, his bat started to shriek loudly. A blast of sonic energy flew towards his opponent, blasting Wyrm Summoning out of its hand. It slid the card into its Graveyard.

"What the hell?"

Leon laughed.

"Trembling yet? If I summon it in attack mode, my Devil's Servant automatically destroys one card in your hand. And if that wasn't bad enough, you can't use a card of the same type during your next turn."

He took another card from his hand.

"I'll put this facedown and leave it at that for now."

Wyrm Summoning was a Normal Spell…so I should be pretty safe for now.

"Pretty good move, Leon. But not good enough!"

It drew, ripping the top card forcefully off the top of his deck.

"I summon my Masked Dragon in attack mode (1400)! Now blast his little bat back to Transylvania!"

His monster, a small dragon with red-white skin and leathery wings, growled at his command. It looked odd, suspended in the air between the two theatre boxes. It spat a fireball at Leon's monster, the flames threatening to swallow it whole.

"Hold on, _brother._ I have a Trap!"

His facedown flipped up. A massive, golden pot appeared in the path of the fireball, deflecting it harmlessly with a leer. Smoke began to curl from the top of it, choking Masked Dragon. Its knees buckled, forcing it into defence mode.

Its owner hissed impatiently. "A Dragon Capture Jar? That's a low blow."

He merely smiled. "At this point, I'm well beyond playing nice."

"So I see. I'll end my turn."

Now the real fun can begin.

Leon drew.

"I switch my Devil's Servant to defence mode (0). Then I set one more card, and end my turn there."

His card shimmered into existence, hanging in the air.

_Come on, you freak. Take my bait…_

It picked up a card. As it reached for his deck, Leon pressed a button on his duel disk.

"Trap card open, DNA Surgery. I call a monster type, then all monsters in play will become that type. I call Beast!"

His bat monster seemed to swell, its fur becoming thicker as it grew it size. A hungry look entered its eyes, thinking only of predator and prey. His opponent's dragon remained the same size, but burst out in horrible brown fur, like a mad scientist had grafted it on. It writhed and tried to scratch itself, futilely.

"How very ugly." Its owner remarked. "But you've made a mistake. Now that every monster on the field is a Beast, your Dragon Capture Jar is useless."

Leon shrugged. It narrowed its eyebrows, suspicious.

"I switch Masked Dragon to attack mode (1400). Then I play a Spell card: Big Bang Shot!"

Masked Dragon reared up, surrounding by orange flames. It roared in pain for a moment, but as the fire died away its eyes gleamed scarlet. Its power increased to 1800. Leon's gaze switched from the dragon to his own monster.

_That Big Bang Shot will make him cause piercing damage…and my card has no defence points, so…_

"Masked Dragon, destroy Devil's Servant!"

Its dragon tried to breath flames, but it could not. It lunged angrily, claws scything the bat down, screaming for blood. Leon staggered back as it lashed out at him, talons dripping red.

_(Leon: 2200/???: 4000)._

_That could have gone better. Still…_

"Not bad. But I'm one step ahead of you." He commented.

_(Leon: 1200/???: 4000)._

It eyed him suspiciously.

"You have no cards out. What gives?"

Leon winced, putting a hand to where the dragon had slashed him.

"When a Beast monster goes to the Graveyard, I can pay a thousand Life Points to summon a certain monster from my hand."

It raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. "A certain monster?"

Leon nodded and flashed a card from his hand.

"I summon Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest (2600)!"

A massive green skinned ogre appeared on the field in attack position. The massive monster roared violently, raising its huge tree branch club over its head. His opponent smiled.

"Your bat was not a Beast, so DNA Surgery made it one. Clever. I set one card, and I end my turn."

Leon reached for his next card.

"I activate this Spell, Animal Instinct!"

The card's art depicted a pack of wolves, their leader dead on the ground. They hiss angrily at a rival wolf pack that was responsible. He selected a card in his hand and sent it to the Graveyard.

"After I discard one card from my hand, I can send one Beast from my deck to the Graveyard. Then, I can select another copy of that monster from my hand or deck, and Special Summon it to the field. So I send one Bazoo the Soul-Eater to the Graveyard, and summon another one to the field!"

His purple-skinned baboon leapt from its card, grunting loudly.

"How utterly terrifying." His opponent remarked, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

Leon ignored him.

"Next, I'll remove the Bazoo in my Graveyard, in addition to my Devil's Servant and my Mystic Tomato to activate my monster's effect, giving it an additional nine hundred points until my next turn!"

Three glowing balls of light surrounded his monster. It gobbled them down hungrily, as if starving. It began to grow in size until it matched Leon's Green Baboon, its ATK recalculating at 2500.

"You play with an unbalanced, weak mess Leon. How the hell do you expect to win?"

"It's looking pretty good from where I'm standing." He pointed out.

"True. But think about every duel you've ever played in here. What _really _got you through those? Luck. Your deck is just a mess of cards you like, there's no plan to it! There's no way you'll beat me, why you'll always be an amateur. Do you know why? Because you _love the game too much_. Too caught up in the myth and story to acknowledge what you need to do to win."

The words shook him, badly. He stopped.

_Is it true? I do love this game…it's given me something to…_

_Something to live for. _A voice in his head said, being brutally honest.

_Maybe. And when this was just for fun it didn't matter what my deck was like. But now…_

_Exodia started to thrash around violently, narrowly avoiding the two duellists as it rampaged. Then, it let out a final bellow, and exploded violently, the shockwave almost blasting them both off their feet._

_Taylor looked stunned. "How…you destroyed Exodia! How…how could you…?"_

_Leon smiled slightly, and pointed to his facedown card, which he had opened at the last second._

"_Drop Off. It sends the last card you picked up to the Graveyard. In this case, that's the final Exodia piece- Right Arm of the Forbidden One!"_

That duel…if I hadn't had Drop Off, I'd have lost. And it wasn't the only time… 

"Before Remalis attacks, I use a Trap. Go…Ring of Destruction!"

A ring of fire appeared around his monsters neck. It screamed and roared in rage, trying to break free from the binding.

"NO!"

His father snarled. "Do you plan to kill us all? You're mad!"

"Quite…possibly. But I have one more Trap to play. You powered up your creature, giving me the means to defeat it. This ends now!"

A small figure leaped to Alceme's Graveyard, grabbing a card that ejected from it. It shouldered its pickaxe and screeched madly. It flipped the card to Leon, who held it up in defiance.

"Graverobber! I pay two thousand Life Points to steal Ring of Defence- and I'll use it!"

Cyber Ogre 2 towered over Leon. Its metallic breath stank of oil and death. Its claws were outstretched, ready to gut his monster like a fish. Fire began building in each of its palms, fiery crimson orbs in the wet night. It charged at him, screaming for his blood.

Then, it stopped. Everything stopped.

Cyber Ogre 2 froze in mid-charge. His younger self was also frozen. There was no wind, no movement of the thin trees.

"What happened?"

Lucky bas-

Hey!

"I happened, love. Aren't you glad to see me?"

Both times…luck, that's all it was! If he hadn't played Ring of Defence, if Anima hadn't bailed me out…

He closed his eyes.

I'm a freaking fraud. But still… 

"Maybe you're right. Maybe it _was_ all luck. Maybe I can't beat you, any more then I could ever beat myself."

It raised an eyebrow. "But?"

Leon smiled. And once more, it was a real smile.

"But it doesn't mean I won't try. Bazoo, attack Masked Dragon!"

Funny how impending death can make you feel alive.

Gathering the power from its defeated friends, his baboon roared gleefully. It sprang forwards, teeth bared in a feral snarl.

"Activate Shrink!" His opponent bellowed.

Leon swore as his beast shrank to half its size. Masked Dragon blasted it away with another jet of fire. He gritted his teeth as the flames hit him, harder then ever.

(Leon: 650/???: 4000).

"Damn it! Green Baboon, wipe that dragon off the field!"

His other monster growled, lunging forwards. The massive makeshift club split Masked Dragon's neck like a twig, spraying blood everywhere. It winced in pain.

"Argh!"

(Leon: 650/???: 3200).

"And you don't get your dragon's ability either!" Leon called, triumphantly, "Because your Big Bang Shot removes it from play!"

It pocketed the card, visibly annoyed by the play.

Leon took stock of the current situation. His opponent had nothing left in play, but had three cards in its hand. He had his Green Baboon on the field, in addition to the now-useless DNA Surgery and Dragon Capture Jar. Only the Agony Balance he'd drawn on the first move was left in his hand. He set it and nodded to his opponent, ending his turn.

It drew, bringing the cards in its hand to four.

"I activate my Spell card, Reverent Funeral. Now I can bury your Baboon, at a cost of giving you its attack points as Life Points. So say goodbye!"

The card art depicted a tomb being borne into a pyramid. The common folk are on their knees, bowing their heads in respect. Thick, white bandages erupted from the card, wrapping up Leon's baboon. It roared in agony as the bandages constricted, squeezing the life from it. His opponent laughed sadistically at the sight. Leon flinched as his monster exploded.

(Leon: 3250/???: 3200).

"You should thank me for that." It remarked.

Leon sighed.

"I sense a large amount of pain on the horizon."

Its eyes gleamed.

"Quite so. Spear Dragon, attack mode (1900)!"

Its large, blue dragon dived from the skies, screeching a battle cry. Leon fought down the urge to cover his ears.

"Dimensional Rescue Operation. I can Special Summon one monster from my removed from play zone. Come back, Masked Dragon (1400)!

A gaping hole emerged in the sky. His red-white dragon dropped like a stone from it, slamming into the ground with a yowl and an unceremonious thump. Leon's heart began to race, thinking how to get out of this mess.

"Game's over, Leon. Spear Dragon and Masked Dragon, attack him directly!"

His two dragons unleashed a combined cyclone of wind and fire, the blast strong enough to wipe him out. Leon's eyes fell to his last card.

It's true, then. Dying is the day worth living for!

"Open Agony- ARGH!"

The blast ripped through him just as his trap let loose a brilliant flash of light. He dropped to his knees, blind, his opponent's high cackle howling like a lunatic over the noise.

"You've done it now! Time to take a trip through time, mate! Time to see what might be!"

"What the bloody hell?" Leon yelled above the laughter.

The cackling continued, growing more and more inhuman as it built to a crescendo, like a depraved clown laugh.

"What could be, what should be, what IS!"

The light from his trap began to fade, but the theatre was gone.

He was standing at the back of a church. Sunlight was gleaming off the pews and through the stained glass windows. The building was decorated as for a wedding ceremony, but there were no guests. Instead, a broad man with scarlet hair and beard stood next to him. Leon waved a hand in front of the man's face, but he was oblivious. Looking down, he could almost see through himself: translucent, almost like a ghost.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

He turned around. His other half was standing next to him, arms crossed in a leisurely fashion. Leon's eyes flicked to the front of the church.

_"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"_

"No way." He whispered.

_"Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?"_

It grinned, a horrible expression on such a familiar face.

"What could be. Perhaps what should be. Perhaps what will be."

Leon closed his eyes. "I doubt it."

_"Through sickness and in health…"_

"This is the prize for the victor. To be with the girl we both love, and live happily ever after."

"What do you mean?" Leon asked, curious.

It smiled, with no mockery or anger this time.

"I am you. You never gave me a name or acknowledged it, but that's what I am. What you feel, I feel. Your enemies are my enemies- or were. Who you love, I love."

_"I do."_

Leon turned away from the wedding. He did not want to accept the truth of what his other half said, but there was truth to it. He stepped towards the church's exit, not wanting to see what he could not have, not watch a fake version of himself have what he truly wanted.

He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Remember that, before the end."

The church vanished. Now they were standing in the entrance to a huge duelling field. Two duellists stand, surrounded by a huge crowd, chanting and screaming their names, cheering their heroes on. To his shock, Leon recognised one of them as Angel. His opponent was a stern-faced young man in a white uniform, tall with dark blue hair. A giant, mechanical dragon with three heads loomed above his head, grey-silver in colour. Lightning crackled around it, giving it an aura of power and strength.

The lips of the blue-haired man curled into a sneer.

"Cyber End Dragon, finish him off! Super Strident Blaze!"

His dragon roared in acknowledgement. Bright blue flames built in its gaping maws, swelling until they could no longer be contained. Angel did not move, instead he merely stared into the face of defeat.

"What do you think?" It said. It was leaning against the wall in the same position as before, arms crossed lazily. Leon sighed.

"I think I've gone insane."

It tilted its head towards him. "You think?"

Leon fought down the urge to punch him. It felt…odd, what he was doing. There was an ease to this scene, something he couldn't really describe so much as feel. Standing here, talking to his other half this way…

When did I start thinking of you as that? He wondered.

It felt…oddly right. Talking to his other half in the confines of his own mind, where no one could see or hear them. Of course, he was a twisted, psychotic, murderer, but still…

It raised an eyebrow. "I know what you're thinking."

"And what's that?"

It chuckled. "Based on the look on your face, you either think I'm doing this to shake you up, or you're insanely attracted to me. Someone I doubt either is true."

Leon flushed. It held up a hand.

"I'm kidding. When this little vision quest is over, we'll be at each other's throats again. But right now, mate, you don't need to worry. It's not always going to be this way."

The scene changed again, faster this time. Leon hovered in the air, ghostlike, above another battlefield. He was tag duelling outside with his other half against a black woman and what looked like her aide. The ground was sandy underfoot, like they were in Egypt or somewhere similar.

_"It's not…"_

Another change. He saw himself, an older version of himself on his knees, cradling Taylor in his arms. Blood was seeping from her chest, soaking him. Tears rolled silently down his cheeks.

_"…always…"_

Tag duelling with his other half again. This time it was a two on one, the two of them facing a tall, blond man. His eyes were crazed, and blood dripped from both wrists. The wounds looked self-inflicted, disgusting and oozing.

_"…going to be…"_

Himself, in a mental asylum, screaming in agony and pain, rocking back and forth in a straightjacket. The real Leon shut his eyes, not wanting to watch.

_"…this way."_

_(Leon: 2275/???: 2275)._

"Illuminating, wouldn't you say?"

It laughed. Leon rubbed his eyes tiredly. They were back in the theatre, but it had changed ghoulishly. Blood was running down the scarlet curtains, and the carvings had come alive: a hideous audience. Ghoulishly ugly, with mottled grey skin and cracked faces, they cackled gleefully, waiting to see who would triumph. Leon forced himself not to look at them, or at Taylor's body. He narrowed his eyes.

"That's one word for it. Are we at each other's throats now?"

Its face darkened. "Always. Why do you hate me, Leon?"

He glared. "Why do you think I hate you? You put me in a coma, you drag me into a twisted, sick recollection of my past, you force me into duels where the cards are real, you murder my friends, and you've got the balls to ask me why?"

It sighed.

"You still don't get it. I didn't do any of things, because I don't exist. All I am is a collection of all the darkest parts of you. You buried it inside yourself, let it fester and grow rather then deal with it. In time, that created me. So I'll tell you why you hate me: it's because, on the inside, you hate what you are."

It paused.

"You're like a lonely bird…that never learned to fly. The whole purpose of this is for you to learn to accept what you are, and the only way to do that is by defeating me."

The words stung something inside Leon, threatening to crack him. But his eyes sought the stage again. At the blood running from Taylor's wrists, the pain etched into her face. Her eyes, staring. Sightless.

"And that?" he hissed, pointing at the cross. "Do I have to accept that as well? That however much I want to help the people I care about, in the end I can't? That's it's all pointless?"

It shook his head. "It was necessary. Besides, she was expendable."

It was the wrong thing to say. White-hot fury blazed within Leon's heart, washing away any sympathy he might have had with his other half.

"Expendable!?" He roared. "I _loved_ her!"

It just smiled.

"So you did, and so you do. Do you realise that now? It's all your fault."

It spread it hands wide.

"You did it all. You created me to protect yourself from the pain of losing Taylor. You gave me these hands…but you didn't teach me how to use them, did you? You didn't even give me a name. If you had, none of this would have happened, now would it? Anima, Taylor…neither of them would have had to die if not for you."

Leon's hands were trembling with rage. "You…you…"

He's right.

What?

Leon looked at the stage. Taylor's body, though wrecked, was moving. He opened his mouth in shock, but the words wouldn't come. The body raised her head. Leon glanced at his other half, but it just looked normal. He looked back. Two hollow eyes stared back at him. Its mouth moved, and Leon heard it in his head, rather then through his ears.

Leon. Listen to me. I can't hold this for very long. I'm almost gone.

Taylor…

That figure is half of who you are…a very important half. Shutting it away has nearly killed you. These past few years, you haven't been living, have you Leon? Ever since this happened to me…you've been so concerned with helping me live, you forgot how important it was for you to do it yourself. You've let it kill you from the inside out.

_I'm sorry_. He whispered. _I'm sorry I couldn't protect you_.

_Don't be. You just have to understand one thing. Whatever you do now, whatever you do next, you can't fight this anymore. You need to accept that this exists inside you, even if you don't choose to be like it. He is you, but you don't have to be him._

_How…?_

_Only you can answer that. I have something for you, but it won't work until you stop fighting him._

_We're still in a duel. There has to be a winner._

_Not always._

_I don't understand what you mean…_

_You don't have to._

Her head fell again, eyes ceased to see and merely stared. The spark was gone. Leon looked at his other half. He understood what was necessary.

But the fight- against himself, to accept what he was- wasn't finished yet.

"A lonely bird that never learned to fly, eh?"

His other half nodded.

Leon smiled and flipped the top card of his deck into his hand.

"Perhaps. But it's never too late to learn!"


	17. Chapter XVI

_(Leon: 2275/???: 2275)._

"So it has come it at the last. Yin and Yang. Good and Evil. Light and Dark. Playing a game that's been done a billion times over. Exciting, isn't it?"

It grinned, showing a mouth full of dirty teeth. Leon realised, shocked, that his other half was actually _enjoying_ this. Not the infliction of pain and suffering, but the actual _game._ Not, he thought, that it didn't have good reason. It had Masked Dragon and Spear Dragon in play, but nothing else. Leon had nothing except his DNA Surgery, which would transform every monster into a Beast, and a now-useless Dragon Capture Jar. Even worse, he had no cards left in his hand.

_Come on. If the audience likes a good battle, then that's what they should get. Deck don't fail me now…_

He drew. His opponent's dragons hissed at him, hungry.

Hmm. Not exactly the way I wanted to win, but… 

"I sacrifice DNA Surgery and Dragon Capture Jar."

His traps vanished in a pillar of smoke. The horrendous implants grafted on to his opponent's dragons disappeared, transforming them back into Dragons. His other half raised his eyebrows.

"You're sacrificing Traps? This should be interesting…"

The smoke began to rise, forming into a tall, insectile figure.

"Fiends, Beasts, and now Insects? It's worse then I thought…"

Leon shrugged. "I had a feeling this might happen. I summon my Anteatereatingant (2000)!"

From the smoke emerged a huge, black insect. Huge, silvery pincers emerged from its massive jaws. Large, blue-white eyes glared hungrily at his opponent, as it slammed its long legs into the ground.

"Attack Spear Dragon!"

His insect lunged, gobbling Spear Dragon whole in its fearsome mandibles. Having attacked in the previous round, the monster was in defence mode, so the attack caused no damage

"How nauseating." His other half said, chuckling. Leon winced.

_I didn't want to use this card…but it works well in this deck. Once this is over… I should redesign this deck. But will I ever be able to duel after this?_

"I end my turn."

It drew, giving it a total of two cards in its hand. Its face split into a wide grin.

"How very nice. My most loyal creature has decided to join the party…"

Leon's eyes narrowed. _His Red-Eyes Black Dragon? But he needs two sacrifices…_

"I activate Tribute Doll!"

_Oh. So much for that theory._

An odd, doll-like figure emerged from the Spell. It dangled limply from thin, white, strings, keening softly in a high-pitched voice.

"This card allows me to sacrifice one monster on my side of the field, and then I can play a seven-star monster from my hand. So Masked Dragon is this sacrifice…"

He gestured towards it. The black doll moved over it, eyes glowing red. The strings binding it began to wrap around the monster, drawing them closer together. With a eerie screech, the two vanished.

"And I summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Leon swore. The great, ebony dragon took to the field, screaming for blood. It hissed, steam gushing from its mouth. It bared its gaping maw of teeth, bellowing in anger. Leon's insect seemed to shrink to nothing before it. His opponent laughed, and stated simply.

"I _love_ this card."

Once again, Leon was sure he was telling the truth. It was enjoying the game for it's own sake, just like he used to do.

_Like I am doing now._

"Red-Eyes, attack! Inferno Fire Blast!"

His dragon beat its powerful wings and took flight. A massive fireball shot out, incinerating Leon's monster. The massive insect screamed as it was burnt alive.

_For all the speeches about respecting your cards, I'm not sorry to see that one go…_

_(Leon: 1875/???: 2275)._

"I'm done." It simply said.

Leon swallowed hard. He had nothing left in play, and no cards in his hand.

_If I don't draw something now…it's over._

He looked at the Red-Eyes. It was bristling with anger and hate, like a dog straining at the leash. The look in its crimson eyes was murderous. He sighed.

_Is that what it takes to be strong?_

He looked at his deck.

_I don't play Tribute monsters out of respect for my deck…but it looks like that was a mistake. And it's too late to change it…_

He reached for his deck, to draw his last card.

"_In the centre of my heart, I make the rules."_

He blinked. It wasn't possible…was it?

_It's cheating…but then again, you know what they say about desperate times and desperate measures…Pot of Greed would be useful right now._

The top card of his deck glowed white. His face split into a smile. He drew, flipping the card around.

"Pot of Greed. I draw two."

_Hmm. Wonder if it'll work twice._

His top card gleamed white again. He took the cards off his deck, and the glow faded.

_Smashing Ground and Graceful Charity would be nice._

Sure enough, those were his draws. He whipped one of them into his duel disk.

"Smashing Ground!"

A massive fist thrusted down through the theatre's roof, slamming into the dragon. It shrieked in pain as it shattered. His opponent scowled.

"Lucky draw."

_Lucky nothing, for once._ Leon thought with satisfaction. He placed his next card in his duel disk.

"Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, and discard two."

Once more the top card shone with white light. Leon glanced at his opponent, but he hadn't noticed.

_Or he doesn't care. Nimble Momonga!_

He discarded the other two cards his deck gave him, which were from his regular deck. His monster winked at him.

_Excellent tactics, sir!_

Leon grinned. _Thanks, buddy._

"To complete my move I place one monster in defence mode."

His other half looked at him, his eyes unusually sharp.

"Don't think I don't know what you did."

Leon struggled to keep his face impassive. "What do you mean?"

"You're cheating. Since this is your mind, you're manipulating your deck psychically to give you the cards you need. How else could you draw exactly what you needed multiple times?"

"Dumb luck?"

It swore at him. Leon chuckled.

"Temper, temper."

It crossed its arms. "Not a bad trick. Exactly what I would have done. Speaking of which…"

His top card swelled with black light. Leon narrowed his eyebrows.

"You wouldn't."

It grinned. His other half looked like a madman in the dim light.

"It's my mind as well."

It drew, handling his top card with extreme care, like an armed warhead. The grin widened.

"I activate Card of Variation. Now I draw two cards, but I must discard one at the end of the turn or take three thousands points of damage."

It drew two. His deck retained its black aura. He placed a card in his duel disk.

"Pot of Greed."

His other half drew two more, giving him a total of three. He took another card from his hand.

"Foolish Burial. I send Meteor Dragon from my deck to the Graveyard."

It swiftly found the card and discarded it.

"My next Spell card: Dragon's Mirror! Now I remove my Red-Eyes Black Dragon and my Meteor Dragon from the game, in order to summon the Meteor Black Dragon!"

The dragons ejected from the graveyard. It pocketed them, smiling evilly. Shadow images of the dragons appeared on the field, and began to drift together. They merged, forming a monstrous dragon with purple and red skin. Uncloaked hate burned in its eyes; a raw desire to destroy and feed on the flesh and blood of its enemies. Thick, muscular wings grew from its back. The beast was so bulky that Leon was surprised that it could fly at all. Row upon row of long, sharp teeth seemed to fill the gaping jaws, able to consume anything and everything it wished to. It glared hungrily at its prey.

"Attack his facedown monster with Volcanic Eruption Flame!"

A colossal burst of heat and light blasted from his dragon in a shockwave, blasting his monster apart. Leon grabbed the other two Nimble Momonga from his deck and set them on the field.

_(Leon: 2875/???: 2275)._

"I _hate _those damn rats!"

"And they've always hated you." Leon shot back.

It snorted, discarding the last card in his hand to pay Card of Variation's cost. Leon drew his next card.

_Damn. Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts? That can't help me now!_

"I set a monster in defence mode. That ends my turn."

It sneered at him as it drew. "How desperate. Meteor Black Dragon, roast the monster he just set!"

Gazelle screamed as it was incinerated, no match for the dragon's ferocity. Leon ground his teeth in frustration.

_It seems my luck has run out._

He drew.

_Frenzied Beast Ritual…it's useless to me right now. What the hell am I going to do?_

"I pass." Leon muttered quietly.

His other half chuckled. "Bad draw? Aww."

It drew, gesturing to his dragon. Leon shielded his eyes as it burnt one of his two remaining Momonga to a crisp.

_(Leon: 3875/???: 2275)._

"Your move, Leon."

_Damn. Come on, there's got to be something I can do…_

He picked his next card up, almost afraid to look at it.

_Yes!_

"I activate Deepest Impact!"

"NO!"

A blazing meteor seemed to crash through the roof of the theatre, striking deep into the centre of the field. His last monster and Meteor Black Dragon were vaporised by the blast, leaving only a smoking ruin behind. His opponent was livid.

_(Leon: 1937/???: 1137). _

"You think you're so smart…you arrogant piece of crap. You're _nothing_ to me!" it snarled angrily.

Leon merely folded his arms. "Your move."

It hissed like a snake preparing to strike, ripping a card from its duel disk.

"Fine!"

It growled angrily upon seeing the card.

"I pass."

Leon laughed. "Aww. Baby get a bad draw?"

It shot him a murderous look. Leon took the hint and drew.

_Drop Off…it should buy me a turn, at least._

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn." He said.

It smiled. "Use up all your luck?"

Leon shrugged. "Possibly."

It drew a card, but Leon held up a hand.

"Hold on, _brother._ Drop Off will send your card to the Graveyard."

A sword blasted out of Leon's trap, slashing through his other half's drawn card. He dropped in his Graveyard, smiling.

"Nice try. But when my Earthly Remains Spell is sent to the Graveyard by my opponent's effect, I can draw two cards!"

Leon scowled as his opponent drew twice. It grinned as it activated one of them.

"Wyrm Summoning. From my deck, I summon my Twin-Headed Behemoth (1500)!"

His new monster was a dark purple in colour, its two heads snapping fiercely. Dark, leathery wings stretched from its back.

"Attack him directly!"

Leon screamed as twinjets of fire burnt him alive. He coughed, thick fluid coming out of his mouth from all the smoke.

_(Leon: 437/???: 1137)._

"What is it with you and the dragon fetish?!"

It snorted. "Charming. Dragons are noble creatures- they do not bow, they do not serve. They fight only for themselves and their own.

"Like me. I set one card and end my turn."

Leon drew.

_Hmm…Newdoria._

"I set one monster in defence position. That's all."

"Getting desperate, aren't we?"

"Just…go."

It grinned. "Gladly. Twin-Headed Behemoth, attack!"

The spray of flames revealed Leon's monster, a skinny, hunchbacked creature wearing armour. It leered confidently as it was scorched, its wilted skin turning red with the heat.

"Newdoria, destroy Twin-Headed Behemoth with your special effect!" Leon roared.

His monster lashed out with its arms, seeming to extend them until they could wrap around the dragon's throat. It squeezed, crushing it like a straw even as the flames continues to rain down on it. Both monsters shattered. Leon sighed.

"This is a bloody stalemate."

His opponent's face darkened. "Sooner or later one of us will lose."

"Or you could surrender." Leon quipped.

It shrugged. "I end my turn. And now my Twin-Headed Behemoth returns to the field in defence mode, minus a few points (1000)."

His monster reappeared, but one of its heads was a bloody stump. The other one still snarled and bit, but the creature was far less formidable now. Leon picked up his next card.

_Chiron the Mage…it's been quite a while. Right since the very start, we've been together…_

"I summon Chiron the Mage in attack mode!"

His familiar centaur leapt from the card, brandishing its staff as a weapon.

"Next, I discard my Frenzied Beast Ritual to the Graveyard, and destroy your facedown card!"

His other half snarled angrily as Chiron twirled his staff, letting loose a blast of light. It revealed and destroyed the facedown, Rush Recklessly. Leon allowed himself a smirk.

"Chiron, wipe out his Behemoth!"

His centaur charged, crushing his opponent's monster underfoot. His opponent was visibly irked.

"You won't win."

Leon smiled. This was beginning to get to his other half.

"Wanna bet?"

As his other half drew, Leon checked the playing field. He had Chiron the Mage on the field, but no other cards in his hand or in play. His opponent had nothing in play either, but had a full hand of five cards.

_Crap._ _This could be very, very, very, very bad._

His opponent took out one card from his hand, handling it carefully. Leon once again got the impressive of bomb waiting to go off.

"I activate Last Chance Fusion!"

_(Leon: 437/???: 568)._

_Oh bugger._

His other half took a small pile of cards from a pocket- his Fusion Deck. His eyes were glinting evilly. The cards artwork was of a massive dragon with five heads towering over two figures. One was dressed in armour, with extremely familiar purple, black, and yellow hair. The other was dressed more simply in a blue outfit. A pendant like a Duel Monsters card hung from his neck. A great, white dragon with three heads, mounted by a knight in full armour and carrying a huge sword defended them.

"This card requires I pay half my Life Points, and remove one card from the top of my deck for each hundred points I have paid. Thus, five cards go bye-bye."

He took them off the top of his deck and tucked him into a pocket.

"Next, all components for a Fusion monster must be removed from play. If they are not, I may send one of the components there. Since my Red-Eyes is already out of play thanks to Dragon's Mirror, I send my Summoned Skull from my hand to the removed from play zone as well."

He held up the card, allowing Leon to see it before it joined the pile of cards that represented his removed from play pile.

_He's setting himself up for something…_

"The point of all this, my brother, is a Fusion monster who is unaffected by all Spell, Trap, and Monster effects. And with my Red-Eyes and Summoned Skull removed from play, I call upon the Black Skull Dragon!"

The monster that began to form was one of the ugliest dragons Leon had ever seen. Its skin was mottled and black, silverly white bones interspaced at every angle. Its body was a thick block of muscle and bone, forming a hard armoured core. Thick, brutish claws grew from its arms and feet, large enough to take a head off with one swing. Curved horns grew from its face, flanking a mouth filled with wickedly sharp teeth. Red eyes gleamed like rubies in its horrific face. Large, powerful wings jutted out from its massive bulk, bones placed strategically even there to use as a weapon. His other half looked fondly at it.

"Isn't it _beautiful?"_

The loving note in his voice shook Leon. The air of repulsion surrounding the beast was almost tangible.

"It's monstrous…"

"But so beautiful. Since I played Last Chance Fusion, I cannot attack or Normal summon this turn. So go ahead, if you have a move."

It paused, eyes shining with malevolence.

"Somehow I don't think you do."

Leon shook his head, despondent.

_That's it, then. It's all over. There's no card in my deck that can destroy that dragon in battle, and none of my Spell, Trap, of Monster effects can hurt it either!_

Despair seemed to flood from a pit in his heart, threatening to drown him, wash him away.

_I fought for far longer then I ever should have done, sticking my nose into other people's business…look where it got me. About to lose my freaking mind to an evil version of myself!_

He sighed, reaching for his deck to forfeit and end it all. It was shaking softly.

_A fitting end for Leon the bloody fool._

Then, it hit him.

"_I have something for you, but it won't work until you stop fighting him."_

Taylor's words seemed to lock into place in his brain.

_An evil version of **myself. **That's the whole point! _

He glanced at his other half's face. His own eyes stared back at him.

_That's right…he's just me. What I am, he is. There's no point to this fight any more. There's a way around everything. But even if there isn't, I've already won the real fight. _

_That's how he was made…born from my pain and anger at the world. We didn't just come from the sky one day, evil. We became what we were because of what was done to us. We chose to take this evil and do what we did. I can't undo that. _

His own eyes, his own hands, his own words.

His own heart.

_But I can understand why. And I can choose to be different._

The top card of his deck began to pulse with a faint white light, as if in agreement. For an instant, Leon could see the Momonga spirits cheering him on from the Graveyard. From the field, Chiron too seemed to nod, as if understanding.

_Thanks guys._

_Now let's win big and go home._

Leon drew.

_This is…_

The card he had drawn was completely unfamiliar. It was a Spell card, the art depicting Exodia battling a shadow creature, black and purple with glowing red eyes. His eyes widened as he read the text.

_Fate of the Forbidden One…_

His other half seemed different now. The anger and the posturing had seemed to disappear, along with the attitude and bloodlust. There seemed to be a sadness in its eyes. It seemed almost as repulsed by the dragon as Leon was At that point, it seemed far more similar to him then ever before.

"It's over, Leon." It said quietly, almost apologetically.

He raised his eyes to look at his opponent, grinning.

"I agree."

He slammed the card into his duel disk. His other half's eyebrows nearly shot off the top of his face.

_(Leon: 218/???: 568)_

"What did you draw?!"

Leon did not answer. Four cards shot out of his deck, pulsating with a golden light. They hovered in formation before him, waiting. They flipped around, revealing themselves to his other half. Its eyes opened wide, horrified.

"Right Leg, Left Leg, Right Arm, Left Arm…what the hell is this?!"

Leon shuffled his deck and slammed it back into his duel disk. He placed his hand on the top of his deck, preparing to draw.

"Fate of the Forbidden One forces a payment of half my Life Points to add the four limbs of Exodia into my hand."

"You're mad…" it hissed. But Leon could see the fear beginning to creep into its eyes.

_We're all mad here, dear Alice._

"Next, we each draw one card from our deck."

His top card glowed gold. The four limbs seemed to resonate, to call to it. Leon allowed himself the briefest moment of triumph.

Not at the victory, though. Just at the fact that he'd survived it.

He picked the top card off his deck, examining the artwork of Exodia the Forbidden One in depth. He flashed it to his other half, a smile curling across his lips.

"I win."

His opponent did not react, merely drawing his card. Its eyes lit up in triumph.

"No."

One by one, it began to place cards onto its duel disk. Their images hovered before Leon, pulsating softly.

_Right Arm of the Forbidden One._

_Left Arm of the Forbidden One._

Leon felt like somebody had socked him in the gut.

_Deep in his mind, his darkness stopped the timer. He smiled sadistically and reached for Taylor's deck. He skimmed through, selected five cards and tucked them away in his coat. He dropped the remainder over her still form._

_He began to laugh at the irony of it all._

"You can't…"

_Right Leg of the Forbidden One._

_Left Leg of the Forbidden One._

It laughed hollowly.

"I got lucky."

It flashed the card it had just drawn.

_Exodia the Forbidden One._

"Game over."

Leon nodded. "Well then…I guess it's done."

As if on cue, two pentagrams began to form, lines of light and power connecting the five limbs of the sealed gods, identical. Once the shapes were complete they seemed to form a gateway to the world beyond.

A gateway that was about to break.

Punishing, powerful blows seemed to rain down on the other side of the barriers, rocking them to their foundations, shaking them to the core.

His other half smiled sadly at him.

"Almost seems anticlimactic."

Leon shook his head. "Nah. Besides, we've put on a good enough show already."

The twin pentagrams began to buckle, giving way under the titanic blows of the two gods.

"Truth is…I was wrong, Leon. You didn't have to win to accept what you are. Truth is, you couldn't have won this, and neither could I."

The pentagrams cracked, the sealed gods beginning to break through.

"We're a part of each other. You'll never be whole if this continues."

An immense, golden arm thrust through the pentagram before Leon, dust and bricks flying everywhere. It glanced fearfully at the fearsome limb.

"Question is, can you accept me? Accept this?"

The two sealed gods screamed in unison, tearing free from their confinement. They were identical, golden energy radiated from their bodies like heat from a brilliant sun. Their chains shattered like links in a paper chain, ripping free with an embarrassing ease. They grinned horribly, omnipotent, confident beyond measure. Supreme. Black clouds smothered the roof of the theatre, crackling with power. Lightning flashed down, drawn to the hands of the twin Exodia. It raised a hand to the skies, and to his god.

"Or is this to be us, hmm? Two halves of the same soul, struggling for control? Forever?"

Leon did not respond. He gestured to his Exodia. With a roar that seemed to rock the skies and shake the heavens, his colossal beast charged. With a swift glance, his other half ordered his to attack as well. They thundered with the force of a hurricane, charging towards each other. His eyes flicked to his other half. A smile formed on its lips.

_His._ Leon thought. _I was wrong about him. That's why he changed at the end. He was bloodthirsty and psychotic because that's what my resistance was doing to us both. _

_Now…he's just like me._

Simultaneously, the two cried out a command.

For of course, they were the same.

"Exodia, OBLITERATE!"

As the gods collided, Black Skull Dragon screamed in fear, eliminated with embarrassing ease. Each Exodia sought to do the impossible, each sought to kill, to prove once more that it was the most powerful force.

The two players nodded to each other.

There was no reason to fight any more. They understood each other.

_Can you accept me?_

_Yes._

_I think I can._

_(Leon: 0/???: 0)._

The theatre was consumed in a blazing explosion of light. The twin Exodia cards had destroyed each other, annihilating the playing field in a holocaust battle. The cackling demon effigies screamed and writhed in horror, burnt alive by the heat. Taylor's body vanished in an instant, along with the stage and the scarlet curtains. The roof was beginning to give way, wood and stone collapsing down on them. He closed his eyes to the golden flames of the battling gods, letting them wash him clean. It seemed that this was consuming the pain of a long, long time.

It was over.

Angel had seen it all from his position at the rear of the theatre. He narrowly dodged a blazing beam, swearing loudly as it almost set his coat aflame. He saw the nod that went between the two, and he knew it was finished. The job was done.

_Time for me to say my goodbyes._

When Leon opened his eyes, the scene had changed.

He was standing on some sort of rocky platform, suspended high amid a sea of clouds. The air smelt fresh and clean, like the first breath after leaving prison. The bright sun glinted off the stones where he stood. Though Leon didn't know it, this was where his other half had fought Taylor.

"_I didn't think you could do it."_

Leon turned around. Angel was standing behind him, grinning, hands in his pockets. He looked oddly relaxed for once. His body was steadily becoming translucent, like a ghost. The sunlight was shining right through him.

"_Well done."_

Leon extended his hand to shake, but then pulled it back before he went right through Angel. He silently cursed his stupidity.

"_Yeah, I'm dead. I died long before I met you. Though perhaps not in a physical sense."_

He laughed cynically.

"_My part is finished now. I played it well enough…for want of a better actor."_

"What are you, Angel?"

"_That's another story."_

He was almost completely gone now. Leon looked at him, no longer flinching from his mutilated face.

"Goodbye, Angel. I'm glad…I'm glad I met you."

His scarred face twisted into a smile.

"_So am I."_

He disappeared, fading away like smoke in the breeze.

Even though he knew Angel wasn't real, it still hurt to see him go. He felt a tap on his shoulder.

"_Looks like you did it, love."_

Anima grinned at him. Leon bit down hard on his lip to keep from throwing up.

She was in a horrific state. Her black dress was dirty, torn, and sprayed with blood. An iron stake had been driven into her heart. Another one was impaled through her forehead, driving deep into her brains. She held up a hand.

"_He beat me, love. He killed me. But you dealt with him, so it's alright."_

She smiled coyly at him. Like Angel, she seemed to be fading away. Leon lowered his eyes from her face.

"Before you go…"

"_I know what you want to ask me. You're wondering what I am, right?"_

He simply nodded. She laughed.

"_I am, to be correct about it, your inner desires given form. You know exactly what you really want. You want Taylor. You've wanted her for years; wanted to touch and be touched by her, wanted to hold her in your arms and kiss her… _

"_To love her…forever."_

Something cold and frozen seemed to crack in Leon then; like someone had shattered his inner shield, the one he kept to keep people away from his heart, with one well-placed blow. His eyes remained dry, but his heart was crying.

"_But she did not feel that for you, did she? So you repressed it. And because you were still refusing to give up on her, you repressed every dirty thought you ever had, whether it was about her or anybody else you liked. Every chance you ever had at a physical or emotional relationship…you smothered before it was born. In time, that gave rise to me…your sexual thoughts and desires given form. A being that's the total opposite of you sexually: confident, attractive, and not afraid to take what she wants. Why do you think I was so attracted to you?"_

With that, she disappeared, the phantom fading away, leaving only a simple message behind.

"_Bye, love."_

A card had dropped to the floor. Leon picked it up, turning it over.

_Persephone, Queen of the Underworld._

"Goodbye, Anima." He whispered.

The card disappeared, becoming no more then dust in the wind. Leon bowed his head.

"_You shall find the truth, and the truth shall set you free."_

The voice was his, and it was not. There was no hint of humour to it, nor a body to identify it. But Leon knew it was the _real_ voice of his other half. Similar, and yet different, just as they were as people. The sarcastic edge was still there, but there was no hint of malevolence to it.

"Perhaps. Am I free now?"

His other half seemed to be amused by that. _As free as anyone can be, I suppose. Don't tell me you don't feel better._

He did. He felt like some heavy weight in his chest had been lifted. His task was done.

"I do. I suppose I should thank you…"

It chuckled.

_Don't._

They paused for a moment, allowing Leon to savour this sight. It was very peaceful here, a welcome change from the bloody chaos he had endured recently. It was nice to be able to rest.

_So what happens now?_

"I don't know. I'll apologise to Taylor, I guess…after that, I _really_ don't know."

_Yes, you do. You need to tell her how you really feel. Otherwise it's going to be on your head and your heart for the rest of your unhappy life, and I'd really rather not go through this again._

"Is that why this happened?"

_I'm not exactly sure. You reached breaking point, and your subconscious decided on a rather unique way to help you resolve it. Although I confess, I was the one who put you in that coma._

Leon frowned. "Do I want to ask how?"

The voice laughed. _No, you don't._

"What did you want, exactly?"

_I didn't want anything. I exist only as a foil to help you resolve your crisis, a dark mirror of your less savoury aspects. I don't really exist. Most of what I said was to get you angry enough to let me take control, so you could duel me and get past all this._

"And am I?"

_You tell me._

Leon knew the truth. He looked out, across the never-ending sea of clouds. There was an odd lightness in its chest.

"I am. I really, truly am."

There was sadness in his voice now.

_I know._

A card materialised on the ground in front of him. He picked it up, examining it. His lips crinkled into a smile.

"How ironic."

_Something to remember me by. Use it if you need me._

Leon laughed at that, a real, warm sound. He felt more free now then he had in a very long time. He put the card away in a pocket.

"Not that I'm not grateful…" He said, carefully "But why so chummy? We did just fight to the death, after all."

_Only a fool continues a pointless fight._

"But what is it they say? No cause is lost while a fool continues to fight for it?"

He could sense, somehow, that his other half was grinning as well.

_Then we're both fools, right?_

Leaving that enigmatic statement behind in the air, the voice ceased. The platform he was standing on began to rise even higher in the air, rocketing towards the skies…

"Oh my God! Leon!"

He gasped for breath as somebody threw themselves on him, hugging him tightly.

"Taylor?" he choked out.

Realising what she was doing, she let go of him hurriedly. She brushed her long, red hair out of her eyes and looked at him.

"Sorry about that."

Leon grabbed the carpet with one hand. He was back in his house again. Looking outside, he noticed that it was pitch-black. Someone- probably Taylor- had put most of the lights off, with the exception of the desk lamp he used when fixing up his deck. He was on the floor, like he'd been knocked out.

_Or in a coma._

He straightened up, his back against the settee. He felt very tired, like he'd just been in the middle of a fight.

_Probably several fights_. He reflected with a chuckle. He massaged his ribs gently.

"Leon, take it easy!"

"How…ouch. How long was I out?"

Taylor looked at him worriedly. Her eyes, one blue, one green, seemed to pierce through him.

"I'm not sure. I wanted to talk things over with you about what happened in the park, but when I got here the door was open and you were just lying on the floor! You haven't moved for hours!"

_The park…? Oh, that's right. I got mad at that voice and yelled at her._

"I'm sorry about that. I've been dealing with a lot of stuff lately."

She looked kindly at him. "It's ok. Did you get through it?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm ok now. Where's my granddad?"

"He went to bed a while ago. We didn't dare to move you. He thinks I've gone home."

"Why didn't you?"

She looked at him, hesitantly. "I just…didn't want you to be alone. I thought maybe being here..."

He smiled at her. "It's ok."

She tilted her head slightly, looking at him. "You seem…different, somehow."

"Different?"

"Lighter. Like there's something that was weighing on you, and now its gone."

He laughed at that. "Well, that's one way of putting it."

"Hmm?"

"Never mind."

He hauled himself to his feet. Taylor put out an arm to steady him.

"You sure you're ok?"

He smiled apologetically at her. "Yeah. Just tired. You can go home now if you want."

She bit her lip, obviously not happy with the idea. "You sure?"

He held up a hand.

"Scout's honour. I'm fine, so go."

She grinned. "You were a Scout?"

"No, actually. I was antisocial even back then. Besides, uniforms aren't my thing." He admitted.

She laughed.

"Fine, I'm going."

She pulled him to his feet. He followed her to his front door, but stopped in the corridor. She reached for the door handle, but stopped.

"I'm glad you're ok, Leon. You don't know how scary it was to just walk in and find you lying like a statue on the floor…I thought you'd died at first."

She laughed emptily.

"Scared me to death."

Leon didn't say anything. She continued to talk, her back to him so he couldn't see her face.

"I really… care about you, you know."

Leon did not let his surprise show on his face.

"I care about you too, Taylor."

She glanced back at him. Ordinarily, Leon was not that good at reading people, but she was clearly asking him a question.

_How much, Leon?_

She reached for the door handle.

"Bye, Leon."

Something became shockingly clear to Leon then. He didn't know how he knew, or why. All he knew was that it was now or never.

_And I'll be damned if it's never._

"Taylor, wait."

She glanced at him. And again the look seemed to ask a question.

This one, he had an answer to.

"I love you, Taylor." He said quietly.

She froze, her hand gripping the door handle tightly.

"I have done for…a long time, I guess," he confessed, still in little more then a whisper. "That's why I came to look for you when you went away. I tried to kid myself that I just wanted to see my friend again, but I was wrong. I just wanted to see _you_ again. I just wanted to be with you, even though I _knew_ you didn't feel that way about me. That's what I couldn't tell you when you came back. You'd been too afraid and hurt before to even consider it, and you were just getting back to a normal life again. I didn't want to ruin that."

The words were coming faster now, in a rush, as if he wanted to say everything before he lost his nerve.

"But without you, I just feel empty inside. I can't feel anything, not pain or love or happiness. I can't be happy anymore, without you. I don't want what I feel to get in the way of what we have right now, but it obviously isn't worth very much if I can't be honest with you."

He let his hands fall to his sides.

"I'm just…a wreck. I can't heal, can't get over this. For three years I carried this in my heart for you. I still do. And part of me doesn't _want_ to get over it, because it's the only thing I've ever really known, these last few years."

She let go of the door handle. Leon looked at the floor.

"I love you, Taylor. I know I shouldn't. And I know I'm the biggest fool in the world. I know it would be better for us both if I moved on."

Leon paused, steeling himself for what he would say next.

"But I can't. You mean the world to me. The only thing that I really, really want right now… is to just _be_ with you, for as long as I can.

He raised his head to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Taylor."

"Why?"

She turned around to face him. In that moment, Leon could see on her face what he'd always seen inside her. She was not- and never had been- exceedingly beautiful physically, and not just in comparison to her friends. Her mental scars and lack of comfort around people due to her agoraphobia had kept people away.

Most people.

Written on her face in that moment was the warmth and love she'd always kept hidden inside herself. People didn't talk to her much any more, most of them barely remembered who she was. So she didn't bother showing most people what was inside. But he'd known it was there, and it was only with him that she showed her true warmth- a feeling that took you in and held you until the cold seemed to melt away.

She stepped closer to him.

"You shouldn't be sorry for that. That feeling in your heart was the thing that brought me back, you know? When that happened to me, I…I lost myself. I didn't want to fight, I didn't want to heal. I just…wanted to be alone forever, where nobody could reach me. Nobody could hurt me.

"Not anymore."

"Taylor…" Leon whispered, sadly.

"But then you came. And you _cared_. More then that, you _loved me._ Even all the way back then, you loved me. _Somebody_ loved me."

Leon raised his eyebrows.

"You knew?"

She laughed sadly.

"Of course I knew! Why else would you have done what you did? I had other friends besides you, but none of _them_ came calling round my house to see if I was ok, did they?"

Leon didn't have an answer for that. She was right.

"You helped pull me out of that place. Even though you didn't do much…you did everything. All those duels, all that time you spent with me…knowing that somebody cared enough to do that for me…you probably saved my fucking life, you know that?"

"Yes." Leon said, softly.

She moved towards him slowly, until she was standing close.

"It took me a long time," she continued "but I figured out that something was wrong with you. But I couldn't help. I was too messed up still, too worried about myself. So much so that I couldn't even tell you how I really felt about you. I really care about you, Leon. You are so…so _everything…_and I could _so…_"

"But?"

Leon's eyes were hard, like he'd barricaded off the pain he knew was coming. Taylor's voice was unsteady as she spoke, like she was holding back tears.

"We're eighteen, Leon. How long would it last? Not long enough…it couldn't last long enough, could it? I _want_ to be with you…I really, I really do. But I..

Now she _was_ crying, silently. And Leon knew it wasn't just because she was trying to save his feelings. She really _did_ want to be with him. But…

"Sooner or later I'd make a mistake. Sooner or later I'd screw up, and what then, Leon? The most important person in the _world_ to me, my most important and brave friend, and one mistake and it's all over. Even if we were still friends…it wouldn't be the same. We'd have lost it."

She raised her eyes to look him in the face.

"I couldn't do that to you."

Leon realised his hands were shaking. Tears stung his eyes, but he pushed them back. The look she gave him left him breathless. Even through the tears, even through all the pain, all the prettier girls in the world- none of it mattered to him at that moment. His head and his heart fought a war inside him, and his head never stood a chance. He realised that he had always known exactly what he wanted.

He'd wanted _her_.

She stepped towards him. Without thinking about it he pulled her into his arms. Before either of them knew what they were doing, he was kissing her eagerly on the lips and she was kissing him back just as fiercely. Her arms wrapped gently around his neck as she pressed her lips to his. A feeling of elation flooded through him. It felt almost unreal to Leon, that the girl he had loved for so long could actually want _him_ in return. He let his hands explore, wanting to touch every part of her, thrilled to hear her moan in pleasure as she leaned into him. Both of them knew that it couldn't be, both of them knew they weren't destined for the fairy-tale ending.

But that did not stop them from doing this.

This, their briefest moment of happiness.

True happiness.

When they finally broke apart, there remained a sadness between them. For what might have been, in another life.

They were both crying. Taylor made no attempt to leave.

"I'm sorry, Leon."

He would not remember his thoughts then later. He did not feel angry at her, or at anyone. He did not pay thought to what might have been. He just wanted to be with her, by her side as he had always been.

Now he was.

She let his hands wrap around her again, let him hold her close against his heart. She was crying quietly now. A lock of red hair brushed against his face.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't say anything. They stood there, holding each other silently. How long it lasted, he did not know. And once more, the last in a very long time, it spoke to him again.

_Is this enough for you? To be this close to her and never to touch her? Never to feel her body against yours and her lips pressed against your mouth?_

Leon closed his eyes, savouring her touch, the sensation of her hands. In his mind he recalled their dance, their wedding. Her body displayed on the cross. Her words. The feeling of her lips against his, as they finally admitted to each other how they felt.

Something inside him sealed.

A wound so painful, he'd never even realised it existed.

_Yes._

Though neither of them saw it, the card his other half had given Leon began to glow, softly and silently.

He moved a hand to her hair, stroking it softly.

_And it always will be._

November 2006 – July 2007.


End file.
